Highland Council employee receives Special Commendation at national award ceremony

One of The Highland Council’s Education and Enforcement Officers, Mr James Sanderson, received a Special Commendation Award at the annual Scottish People and Places conference dinner and awards ceremony last night, Wednesday 23 February, in the Glasgow City Chambers. 

Comedian and broadcaster Fred MacAulay, who hosted the awards ceremony, presented James Sanderson with a framed certificate for outstanding performance over the past year. 

Mr Sanderson also picked up a framed finalist certificate in the Award for Support of Communities category on behalf of The Highland Council for its work engaging children and young people in a multi media ‘Don’t Litter’ DVD and poster competition. 

The Award for Support of Communities acknowledges local authorities which have developed successful partnerships with external organisations, including businesses, community groups or schools, to improve and enhance an area as part of the People and Places programme run by Keep Scotland Beautiful. 

The anti-litter competition invited all school pupils in the Highland Council area to create a poster, a song, or a short film to raise the profile of littering.  The winning entries were then used to influence others of a similar age about the consequences of dropping litter.

More than 200 entries were received, and the winners were recognised at a local awards ceremony. 

On receiving his award James Sanderson said, “I am delighted with this recognition and extremely grateful to both Highland Council and Keep Scotland Beautiful for giving me the opportunity and support to put my ideas into practice to raise awareness of litter.” 

Councillor John Laing, Chairman of the Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee said, “It is a great achievement for Highland Council to reach the final stages of the Support of Communities Award category as it reflects the hard work and determination which staff have shown.  By engaging with local school children, through a multi media ‘Don’t Litter’ DVD and poster competition the profile of littering has been raised and youngsters, and the wider Highland communities, have been alerted to the consequences of dropping litter. 

"The great thing about this campaign is that it has engaged local school children with their local environment and allowed them to take some responsibility for it while tackling the very serious issue of littering. Even without the award this would be a prize worth winning."

Donna Hegarty, Programme Manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful said, “The judges were impressed with the commitment and passion displayed by James Sanderson, without whom the anti-litter competition would not have been as successful.    

“With a tiny budget, James Sanderson and his colleagues were able to engage with many schools and, to receive more than 200 applications to the competition, took dedication and enthusiasm”.