Our planet is our home and it’s up to us all to look after it. Yet, some of us go above and beyond to ensure our environment can flourish, maintaining a safe space for people and wildlife and encouraging younger generations to be more aware of their impact on the Earth.
The Eco Warrior Award, sponsored by Traynors, provides an opportunity to recognize and reward environmental heroes who are working towards a sustainable environmental future in their own battle against global change. Vote for your winner here.
Mary O’Hagan has helped to form a coalition of environmental activists fighting to defend our Lough from pollution and extractive exploitation.
Through ‘Save Lough Neagh’ her campaign has brought to public attention the detrimental effects of pollution at Lough Neagh and challenges those in power to address the root cause of the problems.
Save Lough Neagh have called for information surrounding changes to the ownership model – which is regarded as ‘impeding’ progress and public input into governance of the Lough – and challenges the ‘Going for Growth’ agri-policy, addresses appropriate management of the Lough, calls for investment and a moratorium on sand dredging to allow for the effects of health on the Lough assessments to be carried out.
Mary has been at the forefront in calls for an Independent Environmental Protection Agency and investment in sewerage and research.
Paddy Little has been nominated for his work within Blackwater Paddle Sports.
Together with a team Paddy helps to get the Quay at Blackwatertown village ready for boats, organises water sports and historical boat trips.
However, as part of being out on the water Paddy and the team regularly orchestrate litter picks, dredging the rivers, removing all the troublesome waste they come across.
They regularly link up with other groups to cover as much area as possible and on a recent outing with River Bann Cleanup and other volunteers they spent hours on the river and collected 18 drums, 43 balls, 1 tyre, 9 bin bags of glass bottles, 13 bin bags if non recyclables, 20 kg of hard plastics, 23 bin bags of plastic bottles and one child’s swimming pool.
Claire McCusker is an ASC2 teacher St Anthony’s Primary School, Lurgan who has been “inspiring” the young people in the school with regards to the planet.
In her role as a teacher Claire runs the after school Eco Club that has become so popular that it’s often oversubscribed with a waiting list every year! She also championed the school to receive Green Flag status this year with the judge commenting that not only was it a fabulous Eco School but he reckoned it could be the “school of the year”.
Some of the pupils within the school have been so inspired that they even asked father Christmas for litter pickers for Christmas so they could tidy up their own estates. Others spend their entire break and lunch times picking litter around the school to maintain it.
A nominator said of Claire: “We are located in a very built up area of social deprivation so it is not easy to promote planting of flowers and food or to encourage bees and other pollinators to thrive but somehow she manages it. I can’t imagine anyone else who inspires young people to the extent that Claire does and would love to see her receive the recognition she so rightly deserves.”
Friends of the Folly River are a group of volunteers who sacrifice their own time to work with the community to keep the Folly River and Folly Glen free of waste.
The group regularly organise litter picks in partnership with the Grove Nursery and Drellincourt Primary contributing to the education of young citizens on the importance of proper disposal of rubbish.
In a bid to encourage community ownership of an area which had been neglected for many years they also provide educational talks on the wildlife of the area. Their hopes for the protection of the Folly’s wildlife seems to be coming to fruition as on person describes “herons, birds and frogs returning to the area” proving that the work that the Friends of the Folly River do is having a positive impact on our local environment.
Leigh Silcock has been described as being “instrumental” in organising community litter picks in The Birches.
Her nominator explained that “she rallies councillors and the local community” to support once monthly clean-ups designed to keep the area safe for our local wildlife.
“She would arrange all equipment needed through the council and a drop off zone for the waste to be collected by our local council waste bins. It’s family inclusive to teach our younger generations that it’s not cool to dump waste and highlights the harm it can do to our local wildlife and livestock.
“She’s even been seen on the Bann helping to litter pick in a kayak! She is such a fun-loving, caring person enticing us with tea and treats after taking part.”
