BTCV, the UK’s leading environmental volunteering charity, has welcomed further sponsorship of its annual Green Hero Awards with leading insurance and risk manager for the charitable sector, Zurich, sponsoring the new Risk Management category.
The ten Green Hero Awards highlight the achievements of BTCV volunteers working on environmental projects across the UK. The awards will be presented to the winners at a ceremony in London on 15 May 2007.
The Zurich Risk Management Award is open to over 2,000 community groups that are part of BTCV’s Community Network and will be given in recognition of an outstanding contribution to risk management in the voluntary sector. It is intended to reward originality in responding to an identified problem that has caused losses, known near misses or improved a situation.
Paul Emery, Head of Charities and Voluntary Sector, Zurich, said: “Zurich is proud to sponsor this important award, which clearly demonstrates the importance of embedding a proactive risk management culture within any organisation. Charities and voluntary organisations are facing changing risks which can affect strategic goals and day-to-day operations. A hands-on approach to risk management is crucial and Zurich is committed to working with the voluntary sector in taking a managed approach to risk, rather than impose restrictions on their activities.”
Tom Flood, Chief Executive, BTCV, said: "This is the second year that Zurich has sponsored these awards that give our ‘Green Heroes’ recognition for the outstanding contributions they make to their local environment and community. Concern about environmental damage has never been higher, but these awards show we can all make a difference to the places we live in."
In total there are five ‘Group Awards’, with the new Zurich Risk Management Award a new addition to this category, and five ‘Individual Awards’.
Group Awards:
- BTCV ‘Community Group of the Year’ – for a BTCV group which has made a real and lasting impact on their local environment and its community
- Zurich Risk Management Award – given in recognition of an outstanding contribution to risk management in the voluntary sector eg an initiative, process or innovative safety device that has lead to the improved safety and wellbeing of the public or volunteers.
- ‘Local Partnership’ award - this award will go to the council, company, trust, charity or other group that best works in partnership with BTCV at a local level, helping BTCV deliver its vision of ‘a better environment, where people are valued, included and involved’.
- BTCV ‘Green Gym of the Year’ – to the ‘Green Gym’ project (1) whose participants have shown an improvement in their physical and/or mental health, skills, confidence and quality of life.
- ‘Better Place’ award - for the project site which has undergone the most effective transformation from ‘grey’ to ‘green’, with an emphasis on improved biodiversity. This may be a project worked on by several BTCV groups, as the award would recognise the joint achievement in transforming the site.
BTCV and Zurich announce new Risk Management Award
- BTCV ‘Volunteer of the Year’
- ‘Better Life’ award - for the volunteer who has made significant positive changes in their life as a result of their involvement with BTCV.
- BTCV ‘Volunteer Leader/Volunteer Officer of the Year’
- BTCV ‘Young Volunteer of the Year’
- ‘Dave Donohue Award’ – for the volunteer most fulfilling the ideal of ‘thinking globally and acting locally’.
During 2006, 140,000 BTCV volunteers, in over 1500 groups, spent 246,000 days working to improve 4000 local places around the UK, providing greener and cleaner environments for their communities. From working with teenagers to improve urban spaces in Cardiff, to helping refugees in Glasgow manage an allotment, winners of the inaugural 2006 awards showed great innovation and determination to improve their local environment in some way.
BTCV (formerly the British Trust of Conservation Volunteers) is the UK’s leading practical conservation charity and supports 140,000 volunteers a year taking hands-on action to improve their urban and rural surroundings. The organisation’s slogan -‘Inspiring people, improving places’ - reflects its aim to create better local environments where people from all cultures feel valued, included and involved.
For details of BTCV volunteering events happening near you, or to support BTCV through a donation, visit the BTCV website at www.btcv.org or call 01302 388 883.
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For Media enquiries contact: Helen Mitchell, PR Manager,
BTCV Tel: 01491 821612 or email: h.mitchell@btcv.org.uk .
Simon Toseland, Media consultant,
Tel: 07930 323065 or email: simon.toseland@googlemail.com
