IT WAS a close run thing but a group of volunteers are celebrating after scooping first prize in The Northern Echo's environmental competition, Making a Difference.

Richmond Pride, which tackles problems such as litter, dog waste and graffiti, is the first winner from North Yorkshire in the five-year history of the competition.

Making a Difference was established to pay tribute to groups that work to improve their local environment. Richmond Pride beat two other shortlisted schemes - Harrowgate Hill Junior School, in Darlington, and Laurel Avenue Nursery School, on the Sherburn Road estate in Durham.

More than 100 volunteers in Richmond, aged five and upwards, led by mayor Councillor Stuart Parsons, have been involved in numerous projects to tidy up the town. Their latest project was to remove graffiti from Bank Yard, off the Market Place.

Coun Parsons said: "Richmond Pride is about making a difference. Projects can be small as long as they make a difference.

"It is about encouraging people to become involved, asking their views, and helping them wherever possible."

The judging panel visited the three schemes on Thursday, September 4.

Judge Richard Wood, chief executive of Durham Wildlife Trust, said: "I was extremely impressed with the quality and diversity of the three shortlisted projects and it was a very difficult decision to take.

"The Richmond project had enormous community involvement and a pioneering spirit."

Judge Jenetta Scurfield, a founder member of the trust, said: "All the schemes had excellent imagination, but I was most impressed by the Richmond group's enthusiasm, the wide age range of those involved and the example given by the mayor."

The third judge, John Dean, a freelance environment reporter, said: "It was a very tough decision to separate the three schemes but, in the end, Making a Difference has once again produced a worthy winner in the best traditions of the competition."

RUNNERS-UP

SHORTLISTED entrant Harrowgate Hill Junior School, in Thompson Street West, Darlington, earlier this year gained a national Eco-School Green Flag award for its environmental work.

The school is involved in a variety of projects, including creating wildlife areas, recycling, reducing energy usage, running a walk-to-school project, and the children campaigned successfully for traffic-calming measures outside their school.

The school's environment co-ordinator, teacher Graham Temby, said: "It is all about involving the community in what we do."

Headteacher John Warburton said: "We encourage parents to be involved in the things the children do, be it recycling, composting or reducing waste.

SHORTLISTED Laurel Avenue Nursery School, on the Sherburn Road estate, in Durham City, is working to transform an adjoining neglected piece of land into a wildlife garden.

Through fundraising and community support, staff and parents have already been able to make enough money to start the project

Ideas include areas where children can plant vegetables, and a butterfly garden.

Deputy headteacher Gaynor Davison said: "The parents have been fabulous."

Teacher Hazel Woodhouse said: "It is about integrating the environment into the children's learning."