Best Kept Awards Call for Olympic Effort

The SuperValu Best Kept Awards were launched recently with a call for new volunteers to take part in the scheme and for communities to pull together to make the most of their local environment during the year of the London Olympics.

The awards are organised annually by the Northern Ireland Amenity Council (NIAC) and sponsored by retail group SuperValu and its independent retail partners across Northern Ireland.

Last year Broughshane won the Best Kept Large Village Award and Ahoghill came runner up in the same category. Wilson House Resource Centre, Broughshane also won a Best Kept Health and Social Care Facility Award.

Doreen Muskett MBE, Chairman of NIAC, said they’d like to see an even bigger push than normal to make improvements to the natural and built environment this year.

She said: “We are calling for more community groups in the Ballymena area to get involved in projects to preserve our local environment and encouraging people to get involved at a grass roots level There are hundreds of volunteers in improvement committees across Northern Ireland who work hard to create beautifully cared for towns and villages and they would no doubt like to hear from new supporters. Likewise we would like to see more schools, housing areas and healthcare facilities take up the Best Kept challenge this year.”

NIAC uses the SuperValu Best Kept Awards to reward community environmental projects, including the promotion of recycling and wildlife conservation. Entrants in all categories are judged on a range of criteria, including the absence of litter and evidence of community participation in local initiatives. Green-fingered public floral displays and wildlife planting schemes both feature prominently among winning entries.

SuperValu has supported the Best Kept Awards since 2004 with a sponsorship package that includes financial and practical help. The retailer funds marketing activity to maximise participation and also provides the prize fund for winners.

SuperValu Marketing Manager, Briege McGinty said; “Independently-owned SuperValu stores sit at the very heart of their local communities and as such retailers are proud to support the Best Kept Awards as they help protect and improve the environment in and around those communities. We think it’s a great idea to use the Olympic year to encourage even more people to get involved and we’ll be doing our bit at store level to promote the work of the Best Kept Awards during 2012.”

The closing date for the SuperValu Best Kept Town, Village and Housing Area Awards is April 20. Healthcare Facility Awards close on May 25 and the Schools category is open until March 2.

Anyone interested in getting involved in the SuperValu Best Kept Awards can contact NIAC on 028 9040 3681 or visit www.niacbestkept.com for more information.