Eco team scoops inaugural business award, Teesdale Mercury

Eco team scoops inaugural business award

May 27, 2008

A PASSIONATE team of eco-warriors, whose dedication to the community they serve brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘environmentally friendly', has been voted the Durham Dales Community Business of the Year by Mercury readers.

But the public vote couldn't have been closer as Rotters pipped Barnard Castle butchers McFarlane's by just one vote.

Based in Deepdale, just outside of Barnard Castle, Rotters is a community conservation group that has helped transform the dale's attitude towards recycling green waste and their efforts have been rewarded after its supporters voted in their droves for the hard working group to be given the prestigious prize. 

Mercury editor, Adrian Braddy, presents Martin Bacon with the inaugural Durham Dales Community Business of the Year award. Also pictured are members of the Rotters team, from left: Colin Davison, Jill Bacon, Vhris Gibson. Robert Smith and John Young

Rotters is a much loved and major part of Teesdale Conservation Volunteers (TCV), which was launched ten years ago by husband and wife team, Martin and Jill Bacon. 

Since the early days, the couple have built up a volunteer base to help deliver what has become one of the UK's largest community composting groups. 

On winning the prize, Martin, who is also the chairman of the Community Composting Network, said: "I'm chuffed to bits - really pleased. We know we have a lot of members who support us and really like us, so we are really pleased that they have also bothered to vote for us."

Rotters' membership has grown to about 4,500 in less than five years and in places like Woodside, Barnard Castle, 95 per cent of residents are on board. And with expansion into other areas in Teesdale, including Gainford, Cockfield and Evenwood, the community group looks set to grow and grow. 

And the community aspect of what Rotters does is the key to its success. It's not just a faceless kerbside collection service of garden waste; it's part of something bigger. 

All of the greenery that is collected from people's homes goes straight back out in the form of compost. 

Martin said: "As soon as we collect it there's demand for it to go back out again. The product is going out faster than we can make it at the moment. We did think when we started we might be left with loads of compost but that's not a problem at all. "

Martin praised the residents of Teesdale for turning the scheme into such a success. 

He said: "I think the people in Teesdale know it would be ridiculous for all this waste to go into a landfill site. It would cost a council about £250,000 to collect green waste and that's just picking it up then dumping it. We only have a budget of £160,000, which we have to use for everything."

And it's not just about the compost - the team at Rotters are actively involved in all aspects of the community. It's about encouraging people to get involved, do their bit and live a more environmentally sound lifestyle that will benefit the area they live in and future generations, said Martin. 

Along with the composting, the group also gets involved with other activities in the dale. Last year the group held a successful Woodland Fest event. 

In a couple of weeks, they will hold a garden goods auction at the secluded, woody Deepdale grounds, near Startforth, with all proceeds going towards their next major project - an eco centre. 

The £350,000, two-storey timber framed centre will become the hub for the group. 

The new building, which couldn't be more different to the old scout tent where Martin started his conservation work, will provide new facilities for volunteers, staff and visitors, teaching resources for schools and exhibition areas. 

Jill Bacon said: "I am thrilled about winning the award and I want to thank everyone who took the time to vote for us - it's really touching that so many people bothered."

The award, which was promoted in the Teesdale Mercury and its sister paper, the Wear Valley Mercury, in conjunction with the One NorthEast's Passionate People Passionate Places campaign, was hard fought with plenty of support coming in for all of the nominees.

Family butchers, McFarlane's, came in a close second, but Rotters' support throughout the whole of Teesdale proved to be a winning formula. 

Stacy Hall, director of communications and tourism at One Northeast, said: "The Durham Dales Community Business of the Year Award aimed to unearth innovative local companies that really do make a difference to people's lives but might otherwise go unnoticed. 

"New and renewable energy is a key sector for North East England. It will be one of the main areas of focus for the regional image campaign over the next three years. 

"It's great to see local people taking the initiative on this agenda and offering great customer service while building the type of innovative business we want to encourage and showcase in the region and beyond. 

"Rotters should be very proud of winning this award. We congratulate them and thank them for their support of the campaign."

Rotters claimed 33 per cent of the votes cast, with McFarlane's taking 32 per cent. In third place was the Galgate Service Station, in Barnard Castle, with 17 per cent of the votes.