Calderdale enterprises celebrate after being recognised at the South Pennines Awards

The awards, hosted by the South Pennines Park – an undesignated national park covering 460 square miles of Lancashire, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester – were held at The Piece Hall in Halifax aimed to celebrate the work that individuals and organisations were doing to look after nature and each other.

Sand In Your Eye, of Mytholmroyd, was named Sustainable Business Champion.

Sustainability and climate consciousness is at the heart of what they do as a company, whatever they create – from sand and ice sculptures to huge drawings on beaches to land art.

The company has been carbon zero for the past two years – and is now aiming to reduce their carbon footprint even further.

The work it does has low environmental impact - its sand drawings on beaches are washed away by the tide, its field paintings fade in the Pennine rain, its ice sculptures melt and its pumpkins become animal food and compost.

Jamie Wardley from Sand In Your Eye, collected the award. He said: “We really appreciate the award – and we were a bit shocked when we were named the winner. There were so many really strong businesses in all the categories – which is really encouraging.

“It feels great to receive this award. It’s recognition for the changes that we have been making. We want to encourage other private employers to be more sustainable and this award may inspire others to.”

Calderdale Countryside Volunteers have been named Nature Recovery Champions at the South Pennines Park Awards.

Halifax-based Calderdale Countryside Volunteers are a team of around 15 people ranging in age from 40 to their 80s, who undertake a wide variety of practical work including: creation of leaky dams, cutting back foliage to improve rights of way, biodiversity work, tree planting, and drainage across the whole of Calderdale.

Kelly Elliott and Christine Ewer collected the award.

Kelly said: “We feel excited. We’re shocked! Our guys and girls would be really humbled.

We don’t do this for the plaudits, we do it because we’re countryside lovers, that enjoy ‘doing’.

“It’s nice to feel like we are making a difference, that what we are doing is important.”

Accessible Calderdale and Visits Unlimited were crowned winners of the Special Recognition Award.

The judges said Accessible Calderdale and Visits Unlimited, based in Halifax, are passionate about creating a more welcoming and inclusive society.

They work tirelessly to improve access and break down barriers for disabled people in the region; through their training offer, their access audits, and their partnership work with stakeholders across Calderdale.

They are led by people with lived experience of disability, many of whom are volunteers who give their time to help make the countryside a more accessible place.

Lorraine Bailey, Project Coordinator, said: “We are thrilled. It was really emotional!

“Disabled people often get overlooked and this says to them ‘you matter’. It feels like all of our work has been worth it – beyond the impact it has achieved – by being recognised with this Special Recognition Award.

“We’ve been going five years and never had an award or nomination. We represent so many people – disabled people, volunteers. This is for all for them.”

Accessible Calderdale and Visits Unlimited received a bespoke glass sculpture of the endangered twite bird – the logo for the South Pennines Park – in recognition of their achievement.