Salford projects shortlisted for prestigious Green Gown Award

Salford has been shortlisted in the ‘Digital Features’ and ‘Sustainability Champion of the Year’ categories at the awards.

In the Digital Features category, which recognises the digital transformation of education and research, the University's project ‘Virtual Peel Park: Using digital tools to create inclusive natural environments or outdoor spaces’ is one of the shortlisted finalists.

Dr Simon Hutchinson from the School of Science, Engineering and Environment and Jessica Britch, Peel Park Ranger, led the project in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The several lockdowns resulted in increased engagement with outdoor spaces and a digital revolution with novel technologies that were used more widely by the public. The project harnesses these opportunities to enable students and the local community to get to know and meaningfully engage with the surrounding environment by creating a fully digital version of the park.

In the Sustainability Champion of the Year category, Gwen Riley Jones, a photographer in residence, was shortlisted for her work with the Salford Art Collection.The category recognises people who have gone above and beyond to implement a sustainability initiative that resulted in a positive impact on their institution, students, local community, and local workforce.

Gwen ran a four-day workshop for young people to help them explore how to creatively express new and engaging ways of communicating ideas surrounding the climate crisis and creating calls to action. As a result, the workshops were a catalyst for an exhibition called ‘Planting for the Planet’, which was displayed at RHS Bridgewater from May to August of last year, with an estimated 60,000 people attending over the course of those dates.

Bec Bennett, Assistant Director of Sustainability at the University, commented: “Congratulations to our finalists in this year’s Green Gown Awards. The diversity of the projects we have been shortlisted for demonstrate some of the excellent and innovative ways our teams are embedding sustainability at the University of Salford. We wish both projects the best for the final, but we are extremely proud of them for making the shortlist!”

The winners will be announced in November at a special awards ceremony.