Spinning Gate shopping centre in Leigh wins award for environmental projects for fifth year running

Spinning Gate shopping centre in Leigh has won its fifth international Green Apple Award for environmental best practice.

The centre, along with waste management partner B&M Waste Services Limited, celebrated previous success in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, when it picked up the same title.

This year it faced more than 500 nominees in the Green Apple Awards and was recognised for its environmental successes and recycling initiatives.

Spinning Gate has cut the volume of waste produced by 53 per cent since 2017 – a reduction of 50,190kg. All of the waste processed was diverted from landfill for the fifth year.

The centre reduced its energy consumption by 15 per cent, saving 18,803kWh from the previous year.

A number of environmental initiatives were introduced during the year, which led to recycling 720kg of metal waste, 331 wooden pallets and 6,171 plastic coat hangers.

A total of 1,247 diaries and wall planners, 607 books, two fridges, five microwaves, 14 bags of coffee grounds, 84 milk cartons, 452 puzzles, 78 balls of wool and 15 bath togs were donated to local charities.

The centre invites shoppers to drop off their used postage stamps and forwards them to charity Kicks Count for recycling.

It also donated 136 pens, 51 batteries and six printer cartridges for recycling.

Centre manager Karen Cox said: “We are extremely proud to receive our fifth consecutive Green Apple Award for environmental best practice and we are incredibly proud of our award-winning team, who work hard to ensure the centre remains clean, safe, secure whilst at the same time, improving our environmental performance.

"These awards are internationally recognised to improve environmental achievements, encouraging the efficient use of resources and supporting social benefits through community engagement.”

Leigh MP James Grundy said: “It is an amazing achievement for Spinning Gate shopping centre to win five consecutive international awards for environmental best practice. The shopping centre team work continually hard to ensure the mall remains clean for shoppers to enjoy whilst minimising waste volumes across site. Many congratulations on another award.”

The Green Apple Awards are run by The Green Organisation, an international, non-profit group that formed in 1994 to recognise, reward and promote environmental best practice around the world.

A trophy and certificate will be presented during a glittering awards ceremony at the Houses of Parliament on November 21.

Its success in the awards come shortly after the opening of a Book Cycle store in the shopping centre, which is run by a volunteer-led charity.

The shop offers thousands of books, including fiction and non-fiction, and shoppers can choose what to pay for up to three books each day.

As well as fostering a love of literature, Book Cycle helps the environment by reusing and recycling books, rather than seeing them go to landfill.

Its arrival at Spinning Gate means the centre now has 93 per cent occupancy, with 39 stores and just two vacant units.