Our annual Recycling Heroes Awards took place last week (Tuesday 18 November) as local sustainable superstars were celebrated at Huddersfield Town Hall.
Councillor Hawkins, Cabinet Member for Highways and Waste gave certificates and congratulations to those shortlisted before the Mayor of Kirklees, Councillor Liz Smaje, presented the winners with their awards at the fifth Kirklees Recycling Heroes Awards.
This year, there is a new award, the Community Recycling Award, sponsored by Huddersfield Town FC, as we celebrate some of the incredible efforts of individuals & community groups within Kirklees supporting Litter-picks and sustainability.
Nominations across all five categories were of an incredibly high standard with many submitted anonymously by the public. Winners were chosen for going above and beyond in their recycling efforts and, importantly, for inspiring others to follow their lead to take action on tackling climate change and reducing waste.
And the winners are…
Recycling Hero Award, sponsored by Glass Recycling UK:
Winner: Charles Shepley
Charles is a familiar face in his local community as he clears pathways and greenspaces of litter and dog poo left behind by others. Described as a “true gent”, he has arranged for recycling points for local residents to use, separates litter and is an inspiration to everyone he meets.
Emma Keating was named runner-up, with Karen Hill highly commended.
Business Recycling Hero Award, sponsored by Suez Waste Service
Winner: Calderdale and Huddersfield Solutions
Since January 2025, the team at Calderdale and Huddersfield Solutions have established two schemes that redistribute, reuse or recycle mobility aids such as walking sticks and frames as well as reupholster furniture rather than send it to the dump! They have saved over 51 tonnes of CO2 emissions and over £60,000!
Slawit Repair Café was named runner-up, with Dearne Valley Health Centre as highly commended.
Young Recycling Hero Award, sponsored by Revive Kirklees:
Winner: Lizzie
Lizzie loves looking after our planet! She recycles as much as she can at home and school from bottle tops, plastic pens and bottles. She loves being outdoors and wants to make sure it’s there for future generations to enjoy too. Not only was Lizzie awarded the Young Recycling Hero Award, she also recently won a coveted Green Blue Peter Badge for her dedication to the environment.
Maisie Mitchell was named runner-up, with Hasnain Khan highly commended.
School and Youth Activity Recycling Hero, sponsored by MedEquip
Winner: Gomersal St Mary’s School
Mrs Sheard and the Eco team at Gomersal St. Mary’s are an enthusiastic group working tirelessly to make a real difference to our environment. From recycling paper to giving school uniforms a new lease of life and organising litter picks in the local area, the team are making a real difference to their school and local community.
Hillside Primary School was named runner up with Fairfield School highly commended.
Community Recycling Hero Award, sponsored by Huddersfield Town FC
Winner: Natural Kirklees
With 100 voluntary groups committed to preserving green spaces across Kirklees, Natural Kirklees support local communities to establish environmental projects and give them the necessary tools to help them make a difference including technical advice, insurance, equipment and educational support.
fairandfunky was named runner-up, with Keep Hecky Tidy and Eco-Hub Emley both highly commended.
Mayor of Kirklees, Councillor Liz Smaje said:
“These awards highlight the amazing work and dedication taking place across Kirklees. They are a celebration of our incredible local people, communities and businesses who inspire others and make a real difference.
“Every winner and nominee is a reflection of what can be achieve by working together to tackle the climate emergency and make Kirklees a cleaner, greener place to live, learn, and work.”
Councillor Tyler Hawkins, Cabinet Member for Highways and Waste said:
“The Recycling Hero Awards shine a spotlight on the incredible efforts of residents, schools, community groups and businesses across Kirklees who are championing recycling, reuse, repair, and waste reduction. Their dedication proves that when communities come together, we can make a lasting impact on our environment.
“On behalf of Kirklees Council, I extend heartfelt thanks to every nominee for helping drive us towards our Net Zero 2038 ambition, to our sponsors whose support has made these awards possible and to everyone working to make Kirklees a cleaner, greener place for us all to live.”