National HECA Awards, 2004

Congratulations to all this year's HECA Award winners.
For higer resolution photos of the award presentations, please see the photos pages.

Maddock Lifetime Achievement Award

Don Lack

Don Lack, who stepped down as UK HECA Chair on the second day of the conference, was presented with the first ever Maddock HECA Lifetime Achievement Award, for over nine years of service as HECA Chair. The HECA Officers' Network was an idea of Don's that he started to develop with local authorities in 1995 to promote the benefits of the HECA Bill, then being introduced, to encourage support within the local authorities and to stimulate actions at the local, regional and national levels.

East Pennine

Jane Mears, East Riding of Yorkshire

For Jane’s single handed work in facilitating large volumes of Warm Front Grants in the East Riding area and in seeking to address Fuel Poverty in a large and disparate housing stock as a part time officer.

Northern Ireland

Barry Steele, Technical Officer to the Housing Executive's Energy Conservation Unit

Recommended for his contribution to the delivery of HECA within mainstream programmes for the benefit of local community and also taking forward schemes that promote new and innovative technologies. These include Hard to Heat Homes, Energy Efficient window and ventilation systems – a European field trial, PV panel installation on a block of 30 flats and a field trial demonstration project involving wood burning boilers.

South West

Lisa Jones, South Gloucestershire Council

Lisa’s contribution to the delivery of HECA, which has won her this award include: effective communication of energy efficiency advice, information, education, marketing and training to a wide range of individuals and/or organisations. Developing practice or guidance to overcome commonly experienced barriers to HECA objectives. Developing broad based partnerships and participation in initiatives that have secured major capital investment. Facilitating enhancement to the existing knowledge of HECA Officers, EEAC staff or other individuals in a locality or region. Finally, her recognition extends to raising the profile of energy efficiency in a broad strategic framework.

Network of Eastern Energy Officers

Peter Chisnall, Braintree District Council

Peter’s nomination is for his long-standing continuous effort and improvement of not only his own district but that of the Essex HECA Forum. Recently, Peter, along with his staff have set up new Energy Efficiency Commitment arrangements with fuel suppliers which has resulted in a vast improvement in the number of private sector dwellings within the Braintree District becoming more energy efficient.

West Midlands

Stuart Davies, Herefordshire Council

Stuart was awarded West Midlands HECA Officer award winner for his innovative partnership working in communities not previously identified, tackling fuel poverty using energy efficiency and renewables in an innovative way – EST Innovation award for “No and low carbon technologies in mobile homes in rural England and Wales

East Midlands

Ben Fairbrother, South Holland District Council

Ben was nominated for his popular Schools Energy Project 2003. The project, aimed at junior schools, has proved hugely successful and mixes teaching energy efficiency with a HEC forms for parents and competitions.

North West

Sally Carter, Knowsley MBC

Sally works for Knowsley Borough Council. In her job as HECA Officer, she has concentrated on rapidly developing partnerships with utilities, the pension service, the fire service, health professionals and carers, creating projects and attracting funding which has benefited her region. She has achieved all this within 2 years of becoming Knowsley’s HECA Officer and she’s literally hit the ground running and fully deserves this award.

London

On behalf of all employees

The London HECA Forum works under such a spirit of collaboration that this year, as with every other, no single authority was willing to push themselves forward for this award. As a result, those London HECA Officers present tonight will accept the award on behalf of the London HECA Forum, in recognition of the range of HECA activities and partnerships being delivered across London.

Wales

Adrian Roberts, Gwynedd Council North Wales

Adrian was the unanimous choice of the Welsh panel, he has shown an enthusiastic approach and has wide spread involvement at all levels of his local authority, he has also worked in partnership with other organisations.

Scotland

Stephen Cunningham, West Lothian Council & SHON Chair

Recommended not only for Chairing the Scottish HECA Officer's Network over the past 7 years, but also for his role in promoting and delivering energy efficiency in West Lothian Council area. This work has also extended to integrating innovative technology into homes in West Lothian to help monitor and eradicate fuel poverty

North East

Colin White, Newcastle City Council

Has worked for 2 authorities in the time I have known him. Previously nominated for his work in the health sector pioneering a GP referral scheme, benefiting the fuel power within the district of Chester-le-Street. With his new authority, has worked endlessly in assisting the development of a Warm Zone and a Warmer Homes Zone. He also successfully secured £350K of funding to continue a New Deal for Communities, which targets fuel-poor households, with health related problems. He chairs a Winteraction Steering Group, a local initiative in Newcastle, again a campaign to relieve fuel poverty & protect health. He also is involved in a further 4 related projects and still finds time to attend and contribute to a Tyne & Wear Energy Group and the NE HECA Forum Working Group.

South East

Hazel Hill, Bracknell Forest Council

A broad range of initiatives and promotional work can demonstrate the commitment of Hazel, in her role as Energy Conservation & Promotions Officer. These have contributed to an overall energy saving in the borough reported as 23% in the HECA return for 2003/2004.