Ministry of Defence Sanctuary Awards

The Sanctuary Awards have been recognising outstanding conservation and sustainability efforts across the MOD estate since 1991.

The awards celebrate and encourage group and individual efforts that benefit sustainable development, environmental and heritage conservation, utilities and resource-saving measures, sustainable construction and procurement or community awareness on land or property that the MOD owns or uses in the UK and overseas.

35^th Sanctuary Awards 2026 - Longlisted entries

EntriesMany congratulations to all of the projects that have been longlisted for the 35^th SanctuarySantuary Awards are2026:

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  Resilient Anchor Program (Norton Manor Camp)
• 507 Specialist Team Royal Engineers - A1 Steam trust, Darlington Railhead Construction Project (A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, Darlington)
• AA Wick Marsh Ranges (AA (Wick Marsh) Ranges, Fingringhoe, Colchester)
• Barton Stacey Flyfishing Club (Barton Stacey Training Area)
• Bassingbourn Barracks Refurbishment (Bassingbourn Barracks)
• Beckingham Cadet Training Centre (Army HQ, Andover)
• Catterick Historical Archive – Defence Estate Heritage Stewardship Programme (Catterick Garrison, Feldham Range Complex, Catterick Training Area)
• Colchester PFI Energy & Lifecycle Modernisation Programme (Colchester Garrison)
• Conservating History: A New Chapter for St Michael’s Church (RAF Cranwell)
• Defence Training Estate: Soft FM Services Sustainability Transformation Programme (Across Defence Training Estate)
• Devonport Open Days (HMNB Devonport)
• Sq Ldr Don Earl (RAF High Wycombe)
• Exercise Druid Sacrifice (RAF Valley)
• Find it in Plymouth - Creating ecosystems to boost impact (HMNB Devonport)
• From heritage to hazard control (British Forces Gibraltar, HMNB)
• FuelActive Fuel Efficiency Project (Defence Fulfilment Centre, DM Beith, MOD Bicester, JHC FS Aldergrove, MOD Kineton, MOD Longtown, DM Gosport, HMNB Portsmouth)
• Gary Beckett (Bicester Garrison)
• Green Legacy- Planting Trees and Supporting Local Wildlife (Donnington Main Site, Donnington- Defence Fulfilment Centre, Bicester Garrison- Piddington Training Ground)
• How a Team Transformed Aldershot’s Training Areas into a Model of Sustainable Military Capability (Aldershot Military Fieldcraft Training Areas)
• Ian Mackfall (HMS Excellent - Whale Island and Horsea Island)
• Lunan Bay Walkway - Access For All (RM Condor)
• Lydd Range Sea Defence Project (Lydd Range)
• Group Captain Maurice Dixon (RAF (RAF Leeming and RAF High Wycombe))
• Otterburn Archaeological Survey (Otterburn Training Area)
• Penhale Dunes Rejuvenation – Dynamic Dunescapes Project (Penhale Dunes, Cornwall)
• Project Life (DE&S Bicester)
• Project Prometheus (Weeton Barracks)
• Project Resonance - Recycling of Submarine Acoustic tiles (HMNB Devonport)
• Project SUSTAINABLE FOX (Fenham Barracks)
• Reducing Waste, Increasing Resilience: An Evaluation of Re-useable Menstrual Products in the Deployed Maritime Environment (Royal Navy)
• RMA Sandhurst Brown Trout regeneration project (RMA Sandhurst)
• Roger Owen (Longmoor Camp)
• Sgt Scott Marks (3 Mobile Catering Squadron)
• SPINNERET - Delivering Efficiencies & Enabling Renewables in Operational Energy (MOD Bovington Camp)
• Sustainability Improvements at the Defence Fulfilment Centre (Defence Fulfilment Centre)
• Winfred Athembo (Bicester Garrison)

Nominations were sought in the following categories:

• Climate Change Resilience Award – projects or activities focused on taking action to enhance climate resilience through adaption.
• Energy Award – for energy of fuel projects that decrease energy demand, increase energy efficiency and/or increase energy resilience through sustainability.
• Environmental Enhancement Award – projects focused on wildlife, biodiversity, environmental research, or tackling pollution or contamination issues.
• Heritage Award – projects focused on archaeology, historic buildings, historic parks or gardens, landscape preservation, museum collections, or heritage education or public engagement.
• Individual Achievement Award – any individual who has made a significant personal contribution to MOD’s sustainability or conservation ambitions.
• Social Impact Award – grass-roots sustainability projects focusing on community engagement, green spaces, wellbeing or facilitating public access.
• Sustainability Improvement Award – for projects that demonstrate sustainability improvements through implementation of circular economy principles (including reducing resource consumption or waste and recycling), sustainable procurement, sustainable construction or refurbishment projects, and improvements in equipment or systems through eco design.

The Operational Capability Award will be chosen from the shortlisted nominations and awarded to the project which best delivers enhanced operational capability through sustainability and climate considerations.

And the Silver Otter Trophy will be chosen from the category winners and awarded to the best Establishment, Conservation Group or community led project or individual conservation effort on the MOD estate.

The shortlist will be announced on 5 October 2026.

Winners will be announced on 17 November 2026. You can sign up for the free Sanctuary Awards 2026 live feed online.

For queries please email: DIO-Sanctuary@mod.gov.uk

Related content

• Sanctuary magazine
• Sustainability and Climate Change: MOD