I am delighted that Kunsthuis Gallery, based in Crayke, was shortlisted for the Climate Coalition’s Green Heart Hero Awards in the Best Small Business category.
Congratulations to Cecile Creemers (pictured), who I supported at the awards ceremony in the Palace of Westminster with over 40 parliamentary colleagues to celebrate the efforts of those tackling climate change up and down the country. The Climate Coalition is made up of more than 130 organisations representing over 15 million people, ranging from aid agencies such as CAFOD and Christian Aid to groups such as the Women’s Institute, WWF, RSPB, and the National Trust. The ceremony, which recognised the efforts of green schools, businesses and MPs, sustainable sports projects and overseas schemes, was hosted by television and radio presenter Clive Anderson, and featured Sky News journalist Kay Burley alongside a number of other award presenters.
I was so pleased to have been able to support Cecile and her team who have done a fantastic job. It was such an inspiring evening seeing the action of so many, from football clubs to primary schools, all taking the fight to tackle climate change in their own hands and all working towards a cleaner future. Climate Change is one of the biggest and most serious challenges that we face so I was proud to have attended wearing my green heart and showing my support for a net zero future before 2050. I want to part of the effort to leave a legacy for future generations that we can all be proud of.
Speaking after the event Cecile Creemers said that they were honoured to have been shortlisted and that their green work would continue. “The gallery has created a lot of awareness by hosting an exhibition called Our eARTh 2018 - with 112 artists showing work about the climate change and environment topics. With the sales of this show we raised money for the organisation Friends of the Earth. As the gallery is located in the grounds of the Dutch house Wildlife Garden, further work is done outside by maintaining the gardens in an eco-friendly way, and the addition of insect hotels, bird boxes”.
The awards ceremony follows on from the fifth year of the Coalition’s Show The Love campaign, which sees people from all walks of life, including faith groups, sports clubs, businesses, schoolchildren, come together to Show the Love for all that they want to protect from climate change.
Clara Goldsmith, Director of Campaigns at The Climate Coalition, said: “It’s fantastic to see the work that people from all over the country are doing to protect the things we love from climate change. Climate change is already changing the things we love in the UK. It’s also hitting the most vulnerable people, whether that’s very young or elderly people struggling with heat waves here at home or those in communities overseas affected by a loss of crops or more severe disasters.”
