Hat trick as Higgins is shortlisted in three categories at BPIC Awards
Posted 25/06/2024
Higgins Partnerships has been shortlisted in three categories at this year’s Black Professionals in Construction (BPIC) Awards for Best Social Value Team, Best Community Project for Eat Club, Newham and Best Project of the Year for Stonebridge Estate.
The BPIC Awards celebrate and recognise the outstanding achievements and contributions of black professionals within the construction and built environment sectors, promoting diversity and inclusion and highlighting the talents and successes of individuals and organisations that are making significant impacts.
Amy Reynolds, Director of ESG at Higgins Partnerships comments, “We are thrilled to be shortlisted in these three categories including Best Social Value Team. As an organisation we know the importance of engaging with local communities and our team is a direct reflection of the communities we work in, demonstrating our proactive approach to social value anf our local recruitment policy which focuses on diverse areas and investment in skills for local people.
“As a diverse team, we are more representative and able to relate to residents we work with, and the many cultures present in the communities we work. We act as role models and inspire people, as they see people who ‘look like them’ working in the sector.”
For Best Community Project we identified a need to address child poverty rates around our Newham developments and focused our social value commitment by forming a partnership with charity Eat Club to deliver two, six week targeted Eat Club programmes during term time for young people within the community.
Initially working with partners, Social Farms and Gardens, a UK wide charity helping people create community gardens and grow food, and then Bonny Downs, who support Newham residents through foodbanks and health and wellbeing classes, two separate programmes were held across the borough.
Each session was held after school and were open to children ranging from 6 to 17 years old and hosted by a Chef and supported by volunteers from Higgins and partner organisations. Participants were taught about the food that had been grown and incorporated into the cooking and learnt different cooking techniques as well as a wide range of meals from different cultures. Many were tasty, healthy recipes on a budget that they could take and practice at home. At the end of each session participants and their families came together to eat the meals prepared.
Feedback from the young people taking part showed the programmes increased the numbers of young people cooking for themselves regularly by 76% and cooking for themselves all the time by 100%.