CIEH NI used a new format this year, a best practice event held on 5th May 2010, to present the Michael Cole Award, an award scheme recognising innovative environmental health practice that directly benefits public health.
The award was jointly initiated by the CIEH Northern Ireland Region and Northern Group Systems (Environmental Health) in memory of the late Michael Cole.
After hearing presentations from each of the award nominations and careful deliberation by an adjudicating panel, a joint winner was announced by Mary McMahon (Chair of Public Health Agency) and presented by Councillor Barbour (Chairman of Northern Group Environmental Health Committee).
The 2010 award, for projects delivered or published between 1 January 2008-31 March2009, was presented to Derry City Council for their Civic Alcohol Forum and to Belfast City Council for their Healthy Chinese Menu Initiatives.
Highly Commended certificates were also presented to:
- Northern Group Systems for their Sodium Reduction Support Programme
- Cookstown District Council for Healthy Monkeys
- Derry City Council for Eat Well Keep Well
- Healthy Ageing Strategic Partnership for Seniors Info
- Belfast City Council for Air Quality and Land Use Planning
- Belfast City Council for Responding to Flooding
Details of all the submissions will be made available on the CIEH NI website in due course. A call for submissions for 2011 Michael Cole Award will be made later this year.
The Michael Cole Award is given to the individual or group who can best demonstrate a piece of work, project or initiative which not only benefits the public health but which also adds a significant contribution to the body of environmental health knowledge.
Michael was a strong supporter of the CIEH, holding many posts in his Region. A food specialist, Michael was Principal Environmental Health Officer with Northern Group Systems (Environmental Health) before his secondment to the Food Standards Agency NI, a position he held until his death in October 2003.