Norah Stucken Award

Some of the past recipients include Sainsbury’s, who received the award in 2008 for their Concept Orchards. In response to the decline of British grown apples, Sainsbury’s created their own orchards to develop new varieties, and they were able to successfully extend the British season and provide more home-grown apples up and down the UK.

In 2009 it went to Thanet Earth for their contribution to UK food security through innovative and sustainable growing techniques. At Thanet Earth they grow peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes hydroponically. Their plants are placed in specialist grow bags with a dripper providing water and food depending on the variety, time of the day, external weather and light level. And all of this is controlled by computer, making them the UK’s largest most high tech greenhouse.

In 2011 the team at Paignton Zoo were awarded the Norah Stucken Award for their innovative project in Production Horticulture. Their Hydroponic ‘Verticrop’ system uses a conveyor system in a glasshouse environment which is used to produce Green Leaf crops for the zoo’s animals to feed on. This project represented a unique sustainable solution to integrated zoo horticulture that links science and conservation with amenity, welfare and enrichment, sustainability, education and food.

Most recently in 2016, GroCycle were given the award for their innovative use of waste coffee grounds and unused office space. GroCycle grows gourmet (oyster) mushrooms on coffee grounds recycled from four main coffee shops and is a fantastic example of urban horticulture. By producing a usable waste product, some of the energy inefficiency is taken out of the coffee making process as it therefore doesn’t end up in a landfill.

So if you know of a team, organisation or project that deserve recognition for the impact they are having, nominate them now https://www.horticulture.org.uk/awards-cih/norah-stucken-award/