SPINNING Gate Shopping Centre has won two international awards following its environmental and charitable work in Leigh town centre.
Highlighting its commitment to waste management, Leigh's Spinning Gate shopping centre won its sixth international Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice in October 2023.
Following this, the award-winning shopping centre has also achieved an International CSR Excellence Award 2024 to recognise its commitment to charitable projects.
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Over the past five years, the town centre shopping venue has committed to a number of charitable projects, looking to support local businesses and organisations particularly after the pandemic and cost of living crisis.
Known as a friendly and familiar centre, Spinning Gate is said to have been outperforming other shopping centres of a similar size in recent years, and has offered free commercialisation space offered to local organisations that has helped to raise thousands of pounds.
The centre has donated tens of thousands of accessories for charity shops like Compassion in Action to use or recycle, and has also been nominated at the Wigan Borough Business Awards for their community engagement.
Speaking about the awards and recognition, Karen Cox, Centre Manager of Spinning Gate Shopping Centre said: "We are absolutely delighted with these latest achievements! To achieve another internationally recognised award for our charitable giving contributions and to be nominated locally with the Wigan Borough Business Awards along with our annual successes is just incredible.
We are of course incredibly proud of our award winning team who continue to work hard whilst improving our environmental performance and ensuring local charities and our community benefit wherever possible.
These award winning achievements are testament to the centre team who continue to demonstrate their loyalty and commitment to the centre.”
Pam Gillian, CEO of local charity Compassion in Action said: “The sustained efforts of Spinning Gate Shopping Centre to divert its waste from landfill has directly benefitted more than 800 vulnerable families who have been referred to Compassion in Action via its partner agencies.
"The non-recyclable items, generously donated to the Charity have been redistributed across Wigan Borough – reducing Spinning Gate’s impact on the environment and doing social good.
"Through this partnership Spinning Gate has found a creative solution to the challenge of managing its waste profile, while at the same time serving its community in a measurable way.
"Every item passed on to Compassion in Action has the potential to be useful beyond its original purpose – saving money, adding value and reducing land pollution.
"Compassion in Action expresses its heartfelt thanks to the Centre Manager, Karen Cox and the wider team for its generosity and commends them on their exemplary commitment to ‘green’ practices."
Following the centre's environmental successes, it was also recognised and included in The Green Book – the world’s only annual international work of reference on environmental best practice by companies, countries, councils & communities.
Spinning Gate Shopping Centre will be presented with their CSR award at a glittering awards ceremony at St Pauls Cathedral in London in July.
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