The Green Estate Awarded Prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise
On Friday 21 April, it was announced that The Green Estate Community Interest Company has been awarded the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.
Originally set up as a heritage and environmental regeneration project, The Green Estate and its 70 strong team together with 40 volunteers and partners have turned 42 hectares of derelict land and heritage buildings in a disadvantaged urban area of Sheffield into a unique, beautiful, and sustainable landscape where people and nature can thrive together.
The Green Estate has also become a nationally acclaimed expert in delivering adaptive and resilient urban landscapes including sustainable drainage systems, rain gardens and green roofs and its unique Pictorial Meadow seed mix and turf is sold across the UK and Europe.
Local achievements include the ‘Green Flag’ Award-winning Manor Fields Park, the Sheffield Manor Lodge ancient monument and visitor attraction, and the stunning Manor Oaks wedding and corporate events venue. The company also has a green recycling team who produce peat free soils and is an incubator for community enterprises growing food and flowers and making costumes, furniture and jewellery.
Delighted by this significant award, CEO Roz Davies, said: “Together with our partners we’ve been investing into our local green spaces and creating innovative and resilient landscapes since 2003 and there’s no better way to mark our 20th anniversary. Whether it’s providing the meadow seeds that are planted in the Tower of London Moat, collecting green waste from across Sheffield or preserving the heritage of a medieval deer park and ancient monument in the heart of The Manor and Castle estate, we’re deeply rooted in our community and this incredible award reflects two decades of hard work.”
“Sheffield is a tale of two cities with the communities like ours on the East side of the city often not having the same life opportunities as the West. The King personally approved our award and that is recognition of how far we’ve come and what can be achieved with the right resources and determination. Together we’ve shown the art of the possible in growing engaging, adaptive and resilient urban places in more disadvantaged areas and we believe that every community deserves and needs to have access to good quality green spaces and sustainable enterprise opportunities like ours. We all know how good they are for people and for nature.”
The Green Estate will be able to fly The King’s Award for Enterprise Flag above its premises and use the esteemed Emblem for five years in recognition of the achievement.
A representative from The Green Estate will visit Buckingham Palace for a summer garden party and The King’s representative in South Yorkshire, the Lord-Lieutenant, will present staff and volunteers with a trophy at a special party at Manor Oaks.
The King’s Awards for Enterprise was previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise. The new name reflects the King’s desire to continue the legacy of Queen Elizabeth by recognising outstanding UK businesses.
King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development announcement in the London Gazette
