Plymouth Waterfront’s Business Improvement District (BID) has won a national Special Recognition Award from British BIDs.
Plymouth Waterfront is the first BID to receive the award which is new for the UK BID industry this year and celebrates the very best of BID work across the country.
The special recognition was awarded to the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership for its efforts in reducing single-use plastics in partnership with local businesses and organisations including Environment Plymouth, Plymouth City Council, the National Marine Aquarium, the University of Plymouth and others during 2018. This partnership secured the ‘Plastic Free Plymouth Waterfront’ accolade from Surfers Against Sewage as a result of the commitments of businesses, community groups and schools to reduce their reliance on singleuse plastic.
This exceptional work was applauded as Plymouth Waterfront became the first city district in the UK to achieve the status.
The Plymouth Waterfront Partnership also launched the Polar Bear Explorer trail in 2018 encouraging families to pledge to reduce single-use plastic at home, working in partnership with the National Marine Aquarium. The three month trail included messaging from the WWF and creative assistance from The Eden Project’s artistic team.
The brilliant results of these two projects has won the BID special recognition.
Sarah Gibson, Waterfront Manager and Chief Executive of the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership said “We’re absolutely thrilled that Plymouth Waterfront’s partnerships have won national recognition. It’s a big thank you and endorsement to the BID members, our partners, the families that made pledges, schools and community groups that made changes to reduce single-use plastic. It’s brilliant that the BID Industry has recognised the hard work and success of our collaborations and projects to drive change in the Waterfront area.”
Cllr Sue Dann, Cabinet Member for Street Scene & Environment for Plymouth City Council and Chair of the city’s plastic Taskforce said “This is great news! The city partnership that Environment Plymouth lead and the Waterfront BID championed, worked hard to secure the Plastic Free Plymouth Waterfront accolade, while the Polar Bear trail was an engaging family activity over the winter. We’re fully supportive of the Plymouth Waterfront BID and we’re delighted it’s been awarded special recognition by its industry peers."
Penny Tarrant, Chair of Environment Plymouth and a Director of the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership added “Earlier this year Groundwork awarded Environment Plymouth with Best Community Group Award OFFICIALfor Environmental Sustainability to reward our massive efforts to secure Plastic Free Plymouth Waterfront status. It’s excellent news that the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership has also received BID Industry Special Recognition for its support and the innovative Polar Bear Explorer trail.”
Plymouth’s Waterfront will host the Polar Bear Explorer trail again this winter. Launching on 1December, this year’s family trail will focus on climate change with twenty Polar Bear cubs to find across the Waterfront.
For more information check out: visitplymouth.co.uk