Alnwick Rotary wins Rodney Huggins Award

Rotary Alnwick: Rodney Huggins Award 2021-22

Rotary Alnwick has implemented an ‘Environmental Impact Challenge’ in partnership with our local Community High School. The project was successfully submitted for the Rodney Huggins Award 2021-22.

Students were asked to present proposals for an environmental action or improvement project, which were then evaluated in the style of the BBC ‘Dragons’ Den’ programme. The successful students were then required to implement and evaluate the project if granted funding.

The Challenge resulted in some excellent proposals, presently being implemented and awaiting impact reports. They ranged from planting trees in and around the school to making sea-glass jewellery, and from constructing bird-boxes to planting Bee-bombs. The Challenge motivated students to promote environmentally friendly and sustainable practices and to engage their skills of planning, management, budgeting, and self-assessment.

Rotarians in Alnwick were fully involved in the Challenge. The ‘Dragons’ were Club members – including a Corporate Member from the Alnwick Garden - and other members formed the audience for the two ‘Dragons’ Dens’ sessions.

Funding for the challenge came from a District Grant of £500, matched funding from Rotary Alnwick of £500, and a grant from the Alnwick Garden. The success of the submission for a Rodney Huggins Award means that the bursary will be used towards a replication of the challenge during the next Rotary year.

This project has assisted in the further development of a positive partnership between the Rotary Club and the school, which serves to promote Rotary not only in the school, but to parents and the wider local community.

The Environmental Impact Challenge is certainly capable of being replicated by other Rotary Clubs. It is, moreover, an effective catalyst for the environmental education, protection, and enhancement that ESRAG encourages.

David E. Cooper

Rotary Alnwick Environmental Lead