CIEH Excellence Awards winners clean up

Environmental health professionals working to bring long-lasting clean air, water and streets to their fellow humans were roundly rewarded at the CIEH’s annual Excellence Awards today (14 November).

The judges praised the innovation and partnership working among the nominees, but it was the lasting impact on public health that earned the seven winners their prizes.

“Every authority should have something like this,” was the judges’ comment on the City of Lincoln’s Council’s work in tackling anti-social behaviour, the winner of the Best Innovative Environmental Health Solution award.

The Clean Air Villages Programme, which won the Best Collaboration award, was praised for its innovative engagement that helped bring about “change across administrative boundaries”.

“This was an example of a positive approach to a topical issue, with evidence of analysis and support to business in regards to allergen management,” was the comment about this year’s Environmental Hero, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Environmental Health Food Safety Team.

A special mention should go to Stephen Monday, winner of the Outstanding Environmental Health Professional, who wasn’t able to come to London from Liberia to pick up his award but sent a video instead, projected onto the screen behind the stage. “I have great challenges to protect the environment here in Liberia so it’s not possible to appear physically,” he said from a sunny field that was the perfect antidote to the London drizzle. “This is a great opportunity and I’m very happy to be nominated.”

This was the CIEH’s third Excellence Awards and the first to be held at an external venue – the London Marriott Hotel Regent’s Park. About 150 EHPs from across the profession were present.

The TV presenter Gavin Ramjaum was the pre-awards speaker. After informing the audience that his first encounter with EH was while working for ITV’s Daybreak, when he reported on an outbreak of bedbugs, he called on the profession to focus on the “art and craft of storytelling” to keep it relevant to future generations.

Anne Godfrey, CEO of CIEH, said: “As a profession, EH is not that great sometimes at celebrating how good they are. This is to help you to celebrate the incredible work you do to protect people.”

The winners and finalists:

Best Environmental Health Project
Winner: City of Wolverhampton Council Fly-Tipping Reduction Scheme
Finalists:
• The Gedling Hospital Prevention and Discharge Project
• Southwark Council Screening Scheme

Best Innovative Environmental Health Solution
Winner: City of Lincoln Council tackling Anti-Social Behaviour
Finalists:
• Nael General Contracting Group Food Safety Project
• Leicestershire Waste Partnership Communications Campaign

Outstanding Environmental Health Professional
Winner: Stephen Monday – Safeguard Expert, Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation
Finalists:
• David Lown – Curriculum Co-ordinator, Weston College Group
• Charlotte Rose – Senior EHO, City of Wolverhampton Council

Outstanding Environmental Health Team
Winner: University Centre Weston (UCW) Environmental Health Widening Participation Team
Finalists:
• 1st (United Kingdom) Division Environmental Health Team
• Tuck IN Food Health Team

Best Collaboration
Winner: Clean Air Villages Programme (a Defra-funded air quality improvement scheme in London)
Finalists:
• Barnsley Metropolitan Council Public Health Team, Regulatory Services and Barnsley Hospital
• Integrated Mosquito Research Group, Malaysian Association of Environmental Health and Kuala Lumpur City Hall
• Wakefield Council, Food Standards Agency and WM Morrison Supermarkets
• North Lincolnshire Council and Humberside Police

Rising Environmental Health Star
Winner: Hassan Alzain
Finalists:
• Daniel Rozario
• Nathaniel Smith
• Helen Allen

Environmental Hero (Food Safety)
Winner: Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Environmental Health Food Safety Team
Finalists:
• Helen Atkinson – Primary Authority Officer, WM Morrison Supermarkets
• Sandra Cheung – EHO, Sedgemoor Council

Full details will be posted here shortly.