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Inspirational projects that are making a real difference to people's lives are being invited to enter the Deputy Prime Minister's Award for Sustainable Communities 2006.
The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, today launched his Award for 2006, which will be managed by the Academy for Sustainable Communities.
It recognises the commitment of individuals and projects that are making towns, cities and communities better places in which to live and work.
Mr Prescott was speaking at an event to celebrate the success of winning projects and finalists over the last few years, which are showing how the Government's Sustainable Communities Plan is being turned from vision to reality across England.
Last year's winner, the Regeneration of Attwood Green in Birmingham transformed former run down estates into attractive places to live and work.
In 2004, the Grange Park Community Project in Blackpool led the way by regenerating a deprived neighbourhood into a revitalised mixed community in which people now feel a sense of ownership and proud.
While in 2003, people living in the Penwerris Estate in Falmouth, Cornwall, started up a tenants' association to fix local housing, improve public health, and clean up the environment.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said: "The tremendous achievements of these projects show how the idea of sustainable communities is making a real difference to people's lives up and down the country.
"Run down estates have been turned around, deprived neighbourhoods revitalised, and new mixed communities created, with better housing, improved health, and cleaner, safer, greener streets.
"At the heart of this success is the involvement of local residents who can be justifiably proud of their work to create thriving communities. Today's event recognises their outstanding efforts.
"The response to last year's award demonstrated the huge amount of work happening to create thriving and sustainable communities.
"It is vital we take the opportunity to effectively share the lessons learnt from these projects. That's why today I am announcing that the 2006 Award will be managed by the Academy for Sustainable Communities, to ensure that everyone can learn from this success."
The overall winner of the Award will be announced at the Sustainable Communities Summit 2007 in Manchester.
Professor Peter Roberts, chair of the Academy for Sustainable Communities, said: "The Academy for Sustainable Communities is honoured and delighted to have been asked to manage this prestigious award programme.
"We look forward to working with the ODPM and BURA to help ensure that this celebration of innovation and expertise continues to go from strength to strength.
"It is clear that we will only deliver genuine sustainable communities through learning from one another, so it is vital that we do everything we can to give people opportunities to exchange knowledge and share experience."
