Climate protection prize awarded for the first time

The 14 projects submitted show a wide range. They ranged from cutting lawns with muscle power to renovating houses with biodiverse garden design and generating heat for businesses using woodchips. The collaborative projects organised by associations or schools ranged from hands-on activities or themed days on climate protection to workshops for a more sustainable everyday life. The jury of the Climate Council was thus able to select the winners of this year's climate protection prize from a wide variety of projects. The winners were presented with certificates by Mayor Michael Gerdhenrich and Tobias Illbruck, Head of the Environment and Greenery Department, at the Sparkasse Beckum-Wadersloh bank.

First prize and 1,250 euros (1,000 euros prize money plus 250 euros Sparkasse bonus) went to Beckumer4Future. They organised many campaigns and workshops on climate and environmental protection in Beckum and reached many people. They focussed on avoiding waste, reducing emissions, saving resources and protecting insects and species. There were numerous workshops and themed evenings as well as planting and waste collection campaigns. Sustainable products from the group members are sold at "Be-lebt".

The 2nd prize was awarded 5 times. The winners each received 500 plus 250 euros from the Sparkasse. The daycare centre "Die Grashüpfer" (The Grasshoppers) have carefully introduced children and parents to the topics of climate and nature conservation as well as resource conservation with handicraft and planting activities or a breakfast without packaging. The children at the DRK forest daycare centre use old packaging for crafting and painting, have planted a vegetable garden and collected rubbish. The Roncalli School has set up an energy service and organised project weeks on environmental and climate protection under the motto "Think - Join in". The Mütterzentrum Soziales Netzwerk (Mothers' Centre Social Network) organised numerous hands-on activities in nature in a joint project series with daycare groups, daycare centres and parents. The Mitte primary school also came in 2nd place. Children and parents were sensitised to environmental protection and sustainability by building raised beds and birdhouses, making paper and planting activities.

Third place was shared (with prize money of 500 euros each, including a Sparkasse bonus) by CityCleaner Neubeckum with their project "Es humt und brummt am Neubeckumer Bahnhof" and the private hedgehog organisation Igelhilfe Beckum with their contribution to species conservation.

Awarded every 2 years
The climate protection award is intended to recognise the diverse commitment to climate protection shown by the people of Beckum. The focus is on personal initiative and community spirit. To support this commitment, the climate protection prize is awarded every two years. It is endowed with 2,000 euros, with a one-off prize of 4,000 euros in 2022. This year, all award winners received an additional 250 euros from Sparkasse Beckum-Wadersloh as a bonus.

Valuable contribution to climate protection
Mayor Michael Gerdhenrich thanked all participants for their commitment to climate protection. The evening of the award ceremony was a very special one, as the prize was being awarded for the first time. "Whether it's about minimising your own carbon footprint, helping to protect species, saving resources or educating people: All projects are a valuable contribution to climate and species protection, regardless of whether they win an award or not!" said the head of administration during the award ceremony at Sparkasse Beckum-Wadersloh. He also thanked the jury and the Sparkasse for their commitment. "Many people in Beckum are already committed to climate protection on a small and large scale. We should be happy to support them in this way," explained Jürgen Wenning, Chairman of the Board of Sparkasse Beckum-Wadersloh.

Criteria for the award
The jury used the following criteria for the assessment: relevance for local climate protection, role model function and feasibility for others, energy and greenhouse gas savings and the special category of innovation. The criteria of role model function and community involvement were particularly important to the jury when assessing the applications.