A SHOPPING centre has been recognised with an award for its environmental campaign.

The Purple Apple Marketing Award, one of the leading gongs in retail marketing, was given to Church Square Shopping Centre, for its campaign last May.

Church Square created a ‘Wave of Change’ over St Helens as they partnered up with St Helens town centre and their ‘Year of the Environment’ theme.

The campaign educated shoppers and young children and raised awareness of worldwide environmental issues by transforming the centre into a hub of engaging, free activity.

A 60ft inflatable whale washed up on Church Square’s shore and the most inquisitive of shoppers were invited to climb inside to enjoy an array of environmental tales that were both educational and entertaining.

An estimated eight million pieces of plastic pollution ends up in the oceans every day, with plastics accounting for 60 to 90 per cent. In order to help combat this Church Square hosted their ‘Wave of Change’ event aimed at educating shoppers about the issue and how everyone can make small changes to help combat the rise of the plastic ocean.

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The campaign won in the Cause Related Marketing category which recognises an innovative marketing activity/campaign created from a partnership that benefits both parties and ties in with the Shopping Centre’s CSR initiatives.

The Revo Purple Apple Marketing Awards are the only awards which recognise and reward effective retail destination marketing within the UK retail property sector.

These awards acknowledge high standards and shows that retail destination marketing is effective and provides excellent value for money. The awards also reflect how marketers have to constantly adjust to changing times, from ensuring their budget goes further and works harder, driving retailer sales and harnessing new initiatives including digital marketing.

Steve Brogan, Church Square Shopping Centre manager, said: “We are thrilled to have won a Purple Apple Award for a great campaign that had a really positive and changing effect in the local community. We love putting campaigns and events on like the Wave Of Change as it brings the town together and puts on great activity for our shoppers.”

Church Square Shopping Centre hold regular marketing and community focussed campaigns both in the centre and online.

For more information on this event, visit the website: churchsquaresthelens.co.uk or visit facebook.com/ChurchSquareStHelens or Twitter @ChurchSquareSC.