ATG Group Ltd receives prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development
The Lord Lieutenant is delighted that ATG Services(Ireland)Ltd, based in Coleraine, has been honoured with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.
As waste management and environmental consultants, they specialise in contaminated land and groundwater remediation, 24hr emergency spill response and spill response training. They are market leaders in the use of modern remediation technologies to maximise the potential of contaminated and redundant sites and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.
The company was commended for their approach to sustainability within the sector, the strong role they play in their local communities and the way they foster community sustainability through their charity ‘Ashes to Gold’ – a social outreach programme addressing mental health and disabilities.
Established in 2007 by Dr Mark McKinney as ATG Services (Ireland) Ltd it has achieved significant growth here and in Scotland and England. It’s very much a family firm indigenous to the County. “I am so proud of our amazing team in achieving this award, it is a testament to their hard work, innovation and client-focused approach to sustainable development. I would also like to give a special mention to our charity, Ashes to Gold, and it’s staff and volunteers for their outstanding work in our community and their commitment to addressing the social needs and mental health of those who need it.”
They are one of 220 organisations nationally, and one of only 4 in Northern Ireland to be recognised with this prestigious award. This is the first award in the County in 3 years and something to be celebrated and marked by a presentation in due course.
HOW CAN THE LIEUTENANCY HELP YOU?
- Arranging for the Lord-Lieutenant or one of her Deputy Lieutenants to visit your organisation as a means of acknowledging the work being done.
- Following a visit by the Lord-Lieutenant, or a Deputy Lieutenant, suggesting how the organisation might be included in the programme of a member of the Royal Family visiting the County.
- Advising on procedures and nominations for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise or the Elizabeth Cross.
- Advising on how any member of the public can nominate a worthy individual, a friend or colleague for a National Honour; offering advice on the completion of the forms and supporting the honors nomination when referred back to the Lord- Lieutenant for comment.
- Celebrating and encouraging volunteering, community service and the work of youth organisations and employment initiatives across the County.
- Helping to promote your organisation, where deemed appropriate, in media releases or speeches to assist with recognition of an organisation’s work.
- Accepting suggestions (by early January each year) for the attendance at Royal Garden Parties of individuals deserving recognition.
- If you think that we can assist, please contact us and please visit our FAQ page.
Around County Londonderry
The area of the Lieutenancy corresponds with the physical boundaries of the County but excludes the County Borough of the City of Londonderry which is a separate Lieutenancy.
The Lieutenancy area has a population of approximately 160,000 and an area of about 800 square miles. The County of Londonderry is one of contrasting landscapes, with the Sperrin Mountains dominating the southern reaches. To the east and west, the lands fall into the rich agricultural areas of the valleys of the Rivers Bann, Roe, Faughan and Foyle respectively with the town of Limavady at the heart of the richest agricultural land.
To the south east, the County extends as far as the shore of Lough Neagh, the largest stretch of inland water in the British Isles. The north is distinguished by the grandeur of the cliffs, shoreline and beaches, of the Atlantic Coast and the magnificent ruins of Downhill Castle and of Mussenden Temple, which clings to the cliff edge.
The rail journey from Londonderry to Coleraine is renowned for its scenic beauty and has been travelled twice by Her Majesty the Queen. Inland can be found the two oldest deciduous forests in the country at Ness Wood and Banagher Wood, the former of which boasts the highest waterfall in Northern Ireland and the latter some magnificent Irish Oaks.
Agriculture and quarrying, tourism and recreation, manufacturing and technological research and development are core to the economy of the County.
The University of Ulster, which is located at four sites across the province, has its administrative headquarters and a major teaching and research campus in Coleraine, the largest town in the Lieutenancy area. The Coleraine campus houses the world-leading School of Biomedical Sciences, the Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE) and the Biomedical Sciences Research Institute.
There is much pride that Seamus Heaney MRIA, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature in 1995 and described as ‘the greatest poet of our age’, grew up in Bellaghy in the South of the County and is buried there in St. Mary’s Graveyard. In Autumn 2016 the new Heaney HomePlace was opened and is drawing visitors from far and wide including His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales.
The Lieutenancy of the County of Londonderry was created in 1831 by His Majesty King William IV to represent the Monarch and to uphold the dignity of the Monarchy in the County. The current Lord-Lieutenant is Mrs Alison Millar who was appointed in 2018.
