Historic home celebrated for sustainability initiatives

An array of innovative environmental projects has seen Leighton Hall in Carnforth win the sustainability category at this year's Historic Houses Awards.

Leighton Hall is the historical seat of the Gillow family, and the family still live at the hall today. The venue is open to the public on open days through the summer, and group tours, corporate and team-building days year-round.

The award celebrates sustainable and environmental excellence within the heritage sector.

Ben Cowell, director general of HH, said the judges were “blown away” by Leighton’s commitment and passion for sustainability, and “deeply impressed this was embedded across all aspects of the house and estate”.

Initiatives include reintroducing endangered native butterflies and pollinators, creating wildlife habitat including planting 30,000 trees, which will remove up to 750 tonnes of CO2 annually from the atmosphere, installing a new biomass boiler to heat the 800 year-old hall for visitor tours, and establishing a forest school for local children.

Lucy Arthurs, Leighton’s estate manager, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have won this important award, which recognises our commitment to sustainability within the hall and wider estate, which is a key part of our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) philosophy.

"Coming on the back our ESG win at the Red Rose Awards, it’s a huge endorsement of the passion and hard work of Leighton’s tight-knit team. With huge thanks to them, our fantastic local community and visitors, this can only spur us on to make even more positive impact wherever possible!”