Hull College is celebrating a remarkable achievement after winning the Creating Impact award at the prestigious Green Gown Awards for its ‘Rising Tides, Rising Minds’ Green Education Revolution project.

Now in its 20th year, the Green Gown Awards celebrate exceptional sustainability initiatives in post-16 education across the UK and Ireland. This year’s ceremony, held on 13th November at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh, showcased 133 projects from 83 institutions, with 22 winners and 23 highly commended awards.

Set against the backdrop of the Humber region - one of the UK's most climate-vulnerable areas due to its high flood risk - the college’s initiative addresses the urgent need for sustainable education. The programme has already empowered over 2,651 students and 200 staff with essential skills in sustainability and renewable energy, fostering a culture of environmental stewardship across the college.

By offering bespoke courses and forging collaborations with over 100 leading businesses, ‘Rising Tides, Rising Minds’ has positioned Hull College as a pioneer in tackling climate change and driving industrial decarbonisation.

The Green Gown Awards judges praised the initiative, highlighting its impressive outreach and long-term benefits:

“This project highlights a great outreach activity, led by the college, with a wide (and growing) web of engagement. There are clear long-term benefits for the local area, upskilling local people, linking to industry, and making environmental issues a mainstream concern at the college. The approach could be applied to other locations facing similar risks of flooding.”

Reflecting on the win, Hull College Principal and CEO Debra Gray MBE said: “Winning this Green Gown Award means everything for Hull College and our community. Our region is the single largest carbon producer in the UK. Our college and our communities are at the frontline of climate change impacts.

“This award highlights our commitment to preparing the local workforce for green jobs, attracting essential inward investment, and supporting our businesses in their transition to sustainability. Every day is an opportunity to make a difference, and we take that responsibility seriously - for our city, our region, and our future.”

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