Environment Award

Winner: Sally Lawrence of Mother Nature

Sponsors: Lincolnshire Co-operative

SPEAKING on behalf of the Lincolnshire Co-operative Sleaford Area Membership Group, Joan Weedon said: "The concept of a sustainable town is very important to us here in Sleaford and the Sustainable Sleaford project is looking at all sorts of ways of becoming more sustainable in our lifestyles.

"The very successful carrier bags last year are being followed by new initiatives this year.

"It's really encouraging to find other people in town keen to adopt these ideas – some of which are old methods coming round again – such as re-usable carrier bags – and some which use new technology and new methods of working.

"With all sorts of environmental work going on in town there were several likely candidates for this award but our winner tonight has been particularly chosen for her work combining a specialist retail operation with an environmental ethos.

"Sally employs three part-time staff to help her and they stock a vast range of goods including supplements, toiletries, foods, Fairtrade products and sports nutrition products.

"One of Sally's ventures which only started last month, is selling refills for the Ecover range of household cleaning products so you can now refill your bottles from the large containers in the shop – so not only using environmentally friendly products but also re-using the containers time and time again.

"You can see that Sally is very conscious of the need to reduce plastic and the shop stopped using plastic bags months ago.

"She now provides paper carrier bags, but only on request and asks customers using them to make a donation to GIFTS Hospice.

"If you know Sleaford, you've probably realised that you know the winner of the 2009 Environment Award too – Sally Lawrence of Mother Nature."

Sally said: "Thank you, I am really overwhelmed.

"It is fantastic to receive this award after only six months of being in the business. But I'm not doing it to tick any boxes or score points – I'm really doing it for my children. I want them to live in a world where people care about the planet.

"The people of Sleaford have been fantastically supportive and so encouraging of the ventures at the shop.

"It would be fantastic if the whole of Sleaford could follow suit and we could become the next plastic bag-free town."