SPINNING Gate Shopping Centre in Leigh has been recognised for its commitment to helping the environment.

It has been handed the Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice for its 2017 waste processing achievements with waste partner B and M Waste Services.

Both organisations will receive the accolades in a presentation ceremony at the Houses of Parliament in November.

Now in its 24th year, the wards reward and promote best practice in the UK and the rest of the world.

The accolade was handed out after B and M provided waste management improvements and plans in cooperation with Spinning Gate staff to achieve 100 per cent diversion of waste to landfill.

Spinning Gate Shopping Centre manager Karen Cox said: “What a fabulous achievement, ensuring 100 per cent diversion from landfill of over 103,000kg of waste produced from site during 2017 and to be awarded with an internationally recognised environmental award is tremendous news for Spinning Gate Shopping Centre.

"The centre team and centre retail partners are fully committed to recycling initiatives and are delighted to be presented with this award.”

This year the centre has saved 52kg of carbon through increased recycling with B and M waste which is the equivalent of 32 trees or 18,000 car miles.

Marketing manager of B and M Waste Services Jayne Kennedy said: “We are delighted to have won a prestigious Green Apple award which recognises the fantastic results our relationship with the Spinning Gate team have been able to achieve in a relatively short period of time.

"We highly praise Spinning Gate Shopping Centre staff, retailers and customers for buying into the new waste segregation and recycling strategy we have implemented together.”

The award was announced during National Recycling Week which ran from September 24 to 30.

Cafes at the centre also held coffee mornings in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support on Friday.

Costa Coffee sold cakes and treats and held raffles with a host of prizes on offer in of the charity.

Spinning Slots Cafe donated £1 from the cost of every coffee to Macmillan.

Bonmarche also got involved in the fundraising efforts for the cancer charity.