Pioneering Northampton College shortlisted for national award

Northampton College has been shortlisted for a highly sought after award thanks to its dynamic efforts to go green.

The organisation has made it through to the Commended Colleges shortlist in the national Association of Colleges Beacon Awards 2024/25 for The Sustainable Energy First Award for Education for Sustainable Development.

The College was shortlisted by judges this week in recognition of its Go Green initiative which features a wide range of projects that are promoting education about sustainability and are also helping the organisation to radically reduce its carbon footprint.

Northampton College Principal Jason Lancaster said:

“We introduced our Go Green initiative because climate change and the environment is a huge talking point among our students and we want to lead by example by taking steps to create a more sustainable future.

“Sustainability runs throughout the heart of our curriculum and our staff and students are committed to dozens of projects which are advancing education about sustainability and producing award-winning solutions to environmental challenges.

“From creating protected conservation areas to installing photovoltaic panels and promoting recycling and sustainable transport methods the changes we have made have dramatically cut our carbon footprint, reduced our electricity use by more than 20 per cent and mean we send no waste to landfill. 

“We’re incredibly proud of these achievements but perhaps what is even more gratifying is the legacy we are creating. Through projects like our Big Rig Low Carbon Challenge we’re helping hundreds of school pupils from across the county to learn about sustainability while our own students have learned so much from helping us to design and build our own eco-classroom and are benefitting from renewable energies training at our new Green Skills Centre.

“To know we’re playing a significant role in introducing young people to sustainable careers and teaching them skills which will help to tackle issues such as the UK’s acute shortage of construction workers with up-to-date ‘green skills’ is a source of immense pride.”

At the end of 2023, the College won the Sustainability Institution of the Year award at the UK & Ireland Green Gown Awards and this year it was the only further education college to be a finalist in the same category at the International Green Gown Awards.

The finalists of the Association of Colleges Beacon Awards 2024/25 are due to be revealed on Tuesday, November 12.