DEBI Awards Launch attendees

DEBI Awards Launch

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2017 is the 25th anniversary of Devon Environmental Business Initiative (DEBI), and consequently the 25th anniversary of the organisation’s environmental awards. As a DEBI Director I am a keen supporter of these awards, which recognise this county’s commitment to environmental best practice.

As a charity, DEBI was founded to support businesses and organisations pursuing environmentally sound policies. The awards celebrate those in Devon that are going the extra mile for green issues.

DEBI Awards launch in the rain The awards launch this year took place at West Town Farm, in Ide, courtesy of the winner of the 2016 Enjoyed in Devon category, organicARTS. We were treated to a tour of the farm which we thoroughly enjoyed, despite the deluge (I was smug, in wellies and with a large umbrella to hand).

For my part, I was also on duty as ‘press photographer’ in prep for the launch press release, sent to the usual suspects including Western Morning News, Devon Life, Exeter Living and regional papers.

2016 winners

Many of last year’s winners came to the launch and talked about their experiences. Peter Grainger, Chair of Trustees at organicARTS spoke about their association with West Town Farm and the provision of an educational facility specialising in farm-based learning.

DEBI Awards Launch Mukti MitchellMukti Mitchell, Environmental Champion 2016, talked about his company, Cosy Homes, which provides energy saving secondary glazing and insulation for period homes and listed properties. He also spoke about each person can make a difference to climate change by reducing our personal carbon footprint – even the smallest effort can help.

Other 2016 winners, Melanie Shaw from Exeter Pound, Shevek Pring from South West Outdoors and Ryan Stojic from Mike Wye & Associates talked about how winning a DEBI award has benefitted their organisations.

About the awards

Entering the awards is totally free as is attending the awards event itself. This is held at the Met Office and offers a chance to network and meet like-minded people. The date this year is Thursday, 23 November.

The awards are really worthwhile entering. Judges (and I may be one this year) visit each shortlisted entry before the final decision is made.

More information on categories and how to enter is available here: DEBI AWARDS 2017

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Chilcotts of Oz - Pin up PR

Pin up PR

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Movie mania

The team at Chilcotts Auctioneers came up trumps again with a story about a film poster collection.

They received the collection from a vendor in East Devon, whose son had been an avid collector of movie posters.

Some of these date back to the 1930s and 40s and are quite rare – while I was researching the story I discovered that posters at the time were often recycled due to paper shortages.

Diana Dors poster pin up PRA number of the posters brought back memories of watching black and white films on a Sunday afternoon, particularly those advertising Margaret Rutherford as ‘Miss Marple’. I remember those films really well! The collection included posters for well known films including Hello Dolly and Whistle Down the Wind, but also films I had never heard of, such as the X-rated Diana Dors movie, Yield to the Night.

The collection, which is being sold at Chilcotts September 10th ‘Fine Art, Antiques and Collectors’ Items’ sale, is wonderfully eclectic. I must say I am tempted to make a bid for some of the prints myself.

Strike a poseWizard of Oz pin up PR

When we discussed a photograph to go with the press release, I was thinking of having some of the Chilcotts team looking at one of the posters holding a bag of popcorn, perhaps even a candyfloss on a stick. But their own suggested creative won the day. They took the Wizard of Oz poster (the most sought after poster in the collection) and recreated it with themselves playing all the characters: Jenny Bell as Dorothy, Duncan Chilcott as the Wizard, Liz Chilcott as the Cowardly Lion, Oscar Everard as the Tin Man and Dudley Broome as the Scarecrow. I couldn’t have done it better myself!

Lots of interest from the media as usual, with the Express & Echo asking me to generate more photos of the posters so they could do the story justice.

Next up for Chilcotts, we’re moving back in history to the Civil War!