UKIFDA AWARDS
UKIFDA Innovation Award winner announced
UKIFDA launches new Young Person Award
Launched to recognise the achievements of rising stars in the industry , UKIFDA ’ s inaugural Young Person of the Year Award has been awarded to worthy winner , 24 year old Emily Yates of Craggs Energy .
“ We are so impressed by all Emily has achieved at such a young age , that we felt she deserved recognition for her success and to be awarded with the Young Person of the Year Award ,” explains Ken Cronin , UKIFDA CEO .
This award will now be presented annually to a young person in the industry who UKIFDA believes has gone above and beyond the call of duty and is becoming a rising star .
Ken Cronin adds : “ After reading about Emily ’ s background and achievements , we felt she deserves recognition – especially because the industry promotes diversity and welcome individuals from every walk of life , and Emily is currently championing diversity in the industry .”
“ We wanted Emily to win an award , she has done so much and helped so many customers as a young , female driver in the industry ,” says Matthew Crockett , director at Craggs Energy .
“ Emily ’ s energy and enthusiasm is boundless and has been since day one when she joined us as a sales apprentice . Since then , she has taken on various roles , including customer services and agricultural sales , and is now absolutely thriving in her operations role .
“ Her approach is always flexible and she will happily drive a range of vehicles to make the deliveries , including Land Rovers , Ford Rangers , and Transit Vans . She is keen to get her HGV and ADR licence – and we are keen to support her with this as she becomes a fullyfledged tanker driver .
“ We are so proud of Emily ; of all she has achieved and all she does on a daily basis to make a difference to people ’ s lives .”
Emily comments : “ I ’ m over the moon to have won the Young Person of the Year Award ! I love my job and it ’ s great to know that what I do is appreciated and is helping people .
You can read more about Emily in a special feature that appeared in our May issue and is also online at fueloilnews . co . uk
Cornwall-based distributor , Mitchell & Webber , has won the Fuel Oil News sponsored UKIFDA Innovation Award for being at the forefront of the sector ’ s Future Fuels campaign and for making a real difference in the industry ’ s drive to make renewable liquid fuel a viable alternative to heating oil for off-gas grid properties .
The award was launched this year to find and commend the one thing that makes the industry stand out – with the industry association always proud to support the most innovative products , services , or initiatives .
“ Our Innovation Award is for the person or company that has made the most significant , innovative , and positive contribution to our industry over the past year – and we were delighted to present , Mitchell & Webber with the Innovation Award on the first day of this year ’ s virtual EXPO & Future Fuels Conference ,” says Ken Cronin , UKIFDA chief executive .
“ It really is incredible , and so impressive , to witness all that Mitchell & Webber has achieved during the past year – they have been at the forefront of driving our Future Fuels campaign and not only converted a number of homes to renewable liquid fuel , HVO , in Cornwall but also a church and a school , highlighting the promising potential of this renewable liquid fuel to replace oil heating .”
Involved since the start with UKIFDA and fellow trade association OFTEC with the drive to a renewable fuel alternative , Mitchell & Webber understands that this is one of the most important matters for the future of the liquid fuel distribution industry .
Directors Robert and John Weedon have been in discussions with their local MP , Secretary of State for the Environment George Eustace , over the future directions for homes , since 2018 .
John comments : “ We are so happy to have won the Innovation Award this year – it means a great deal to us and it ’ s fantastic to have our determination and hard work recognised .
“ We ’ re delighted to be the first fuel distributor in the UK to have started the HVO trials in homes – when the idea was first raised , we moved heaven and earth to ensure we could not only be involved but were able to lead the way and really prove the potential of hydrotreated vegetable oil or HVO as an ecofriendly alternative to heating oil .
“ Our aim was to show the extent of how useful HVO could be in the bid to achieve net zero and so we tested a wide range of appliances , including AGAs , old boilers , low NOx boilers and Rayburns , to check the renewable fuel works with all of them – and it does .
“ One of our proudest moments was after we had converted Gwinear Primary School in Cornwall , George Eustace MP visited the school to see for himself how HVO works in practice – and he acknowledged the importance of this step in achieving a low-carbon alternative heating fuel for older , rural properties .”
The HVO trials have been a success since their launch in November 2020 and have highlighted not only the green credentials of this renewable fuel , as it offers net greenhouse gas CO2 reductions of up to 90 %, but also its convenience . In most conversions , only the
nozzle needs to be changed and the pressure adjusted on the boiler to enable the system to run on HVO .
Robert adds : “ Winning the Innovation Award has topped off an already brilliant year for us and our industry – and we ’ re so pleased that Cornwall is leading the way with HVO and leading the way with the greener fuel that is a potential alternative for every oil-reliant home .
“ We will continue to update the Government on the success of the HVO trials , together with UKIFDA and OFTEC , and hope HVO will soon be welcomed as a replacement to fossil fuel in rural buildings .”
Margaret Major , managing editor , Fuel Oil News also congratulated the inaugural winners on all the activities that led to the award : “ Obviously we have followed these very closely at Fuel Oil News and will continue to do so , and we have been so impressed with the huge input from Mitchell & Webber to helping the industry to find its future . The innovation is not just about the fuels and the trials it ’ s also the ways they have found to drive the narrative and change the thinking around future fuels .
Ken Cronin concludes : “ Mitchell & Webber are really worthy winners of our new Innovation Award and our congratulations also go to the runners-up – Eliminox and Crown Oil – who have made significant contributions to our sector over the last year .
Fuel Oil News | August 2021 11