Double delight for region at awards event

Two Lichfield projects have beaten off competition from around the West Midlands to take top honours at a regeneration awards event.

The Goodbye to Summer Lantern Parade won the Successful Community Engagement award while the Whittington and Fisherwick Environment Group scooped the Environment and People category in the RegenWM awards.

More than 90 entries were received across five categories for the awards which celebrate the best in regeneration work across the West Midlands.

The parade was developed as a result of two North Lichfield organisations bringing together a wide range of community groups and residents to prepare for six months to create a 100-strong parade through the Dimbles Lane area of the town.

The partnership between North Lichfield Initiative and North Lichfield Community and Learning Partnership carried out fundraising, art workshops and training to put on the event.

As part of the process, 68 home fire risk check referrals were given to the fire service, the Jigsaw community hub saw a dramatic increase in attendance and Staffordshire Police confirmed that anti-social behaviour was 55 per cent lower. The approach adopted by Goodbye to Summer is set to be replicated in Burton upon Trent and Burntwood. The second award was won by Whittington and Fisherwick Environment Group which was established in 2007 to help the 1,200-strong household parish to lower their carbon footprint.

Practical projects already delivered include a light bulb library with over 20 different types of low energy light bulb, a series of energy audits, the first community on-line carbon footprinting facility and assistance to secure funding for energy-saving improvements.

Adrian Passmore, chief executive of RegenWM, said: "For Lichfield to come away with two awards shows just how strong the regeneration excellence is in this part of the region."