COPELAND Borough Council is celebrating winning a prestigious national award.
The council’s Recycle for Copeland campaign was named Communications Campaign of the Year at the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC) Awards in Birmingham.
The campaign, launched to support the council’s new kerbside recycling service, has contributed towards recycling rates more than doubling in Copeland since the new service was launched in April 2018.
In order to educate residents on the changes – and to highlight the benefits of recycling to the environment and the council – the campaign has included public roadshows, school visits and poster competitions, new signage on waste vehicles, press and social media articles and a dedicated booklet and webpage.
A mascot – Edna the Recyclephant – was also created using recycled material by local artist Sue Jackson and students from Lakes College to mark the first anniversary of the project; residents had collected the weight of 650 elephants of recycling in the first year.
Mike Starkie, Mayor of Copeland, said: “We’re thrilled to win this national award.
“It is testament to the fantastic team effort this campaign has been; from Communications to Waste and Customer Services, and a number of other colleagues.
“It was a mammoth task to deliver – and communicate – this new project, and the campaign has played a significant role in our recycling rates more than doubling across the borough.”
