A hospice’s recycling scheme has been named as the winner of the community environmental award Making a Difference.

The winner of the Northern Echo’s competition is Butterwick Hospice, at Bishop Auckland, which has raised more than £40,000 for funds in just five years.

During that time the scheme has grown to include can, paper and bottle banks across the district and has been expanding further.

Making a Difference was set up to encourage community environmental schemes, such as the one run by Butterwick Hospice.

Shortlisted projects were judged by a representative from the Northern Echo, staff from the Durham Wildlife Trust and a representative from development agency One North East.

The two runners-up were the Friends of Hazelgrove, a nature area by the sea, and Stanley Bowden, who has dedicated his retirement to restoring a wood near his home.

Northern Echo editor Peter Barron said: “Once more, Making a Difference has attracted a high quality of entries and the hospice is a worthy winner indeed.”

The presentations to the winner, which gets £500, and the runners-up will be made by TV professor David Bellamy shortly.

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