Future Makers & It’s in Nottingham: Sustainable Awards for Best Bar None 2024

At Future Makers, we believe that sustainability and creativity goes hand in hand. That’s why our recent collaboration with It’s in Nottingham on the prestigious Best Bar None Nottingham Awards 2024 was a project that truly resonated with our core values. We were tasked with designing high-spec awards, made entirely from 100% recycled plastic, a challenge we were thrilled to accept!

The Best Bar None Awards, supported by the Home Office and led by It’s in Nottingham, promote responsible management in the night-time economy. The scheme accredits pubs, bars, clubs, and venues for their commitment to safety, crime prevention, and community wellbeing. In 2024, a remarkable 105 Nottingham venues were recognised, celebrating the city's best in hospitality for creating safe, inclusive spaces.

Photo credit: It's in Nottingham by Tom Platinum Morley

A Partnership Rooted in Sustainability

The project kicked off with a series of consultations with our partner Jake Epton, Project Executive for It’s in Nottingham. Together, we envisioned awards that would honour Nottingham’s best hospitality businesses and embody the principles of a circular economy. Our goal was to create an award that looks valuable, artistic and stands as a testament to what can be achieved through sustainable practices.

Our journey didn’t just involve design; we rolled up our sleeves and joined the It’s in Nottingham team on a couple of their weekly litter picks around Nottingham city centre. These dedicated individuals head out every week, voluntarily to keep the city clean. The plastic waste collected during these litter picks became raw material in our awards, reinforcing the message that even discarded items can be transformed into something beautiful and valuable.

It's in Nottingham weekly litter pick in the Old Market Square

Precision Design Meets Handcrafted Quality

Back at our workshop, the collected plastic was cleaned, processed, and blended with 100% recycled plastic stock from UK kerbside collections, to create the contrasting colour components. The design process involved CNC cutting for precision, ensuring each award was crafted to the highest standards. Our talented team of interns, took on the task of hand-finishing each award. Their attention to detail ensured that every piece had a high-quality finish, making the awards not only symbols of achievement but also works of art.

Interns: George Odeke, Janis Zube and Aurean Luemba at Future Makers studio

To complete the awards, we added custom plates featuring the names of the winners in each category. This final touch transformed the recycled plastic into a prestigious symbol of recognition, ready to be handed out to Nottingham’s best and brightest in the hospitality industry.

A Night to Remember

The Best Bar None Nottingham Awards 2024 took place on Tuesday 3rd September. It was a dazzling display of talent and entertainment, featuring everything from opera singers and dancers to mirror men, a brass band, and a DJ. The atmosphere was buzzing, with delicious food and doughnuts adding to the sensational experience.

Each award presented was a proud moment for us. Seeing the winners of each category receive our handcrafted, recycled plastic awards was an excellent reminder of why we do what we do. These awards represented excellence in our city and the potential for sustainable innovation.

The Impact of Our Work

We appreciate all the positive feedback we’ve received about the awards:

Amy Coulson, Projects, Events & Sponsorship Manager at It’s in Nottingham – the city’s business improvement district said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Future Makers on creating the Best Bar None awards, crafted from recycled plastic collected by the It’s in Nottingham team during various litter picks around the city centre. This partnership not only highlights the creativity and talent of Future Makers but also emphasises our commitment to sustainability and community engagement. By transforming waste into something meaningful, we showcase Nottingham’s dedication to environmental responsibility while celebrating the city’s best venues.”

Alex Flint, CEO of It’s in Nottingham, said: “Nottingham's Best Bar None awards are an annual highlight for night-time economy venues in the city and recognise the effort and hard work they all put into the long assessment process. We congratulate all the venues who have worked with us again this year, and of course the shortlisted and winning venues.

“It's a significant achievement for Nottingham that over 100 city centre leisure and hospitality venues have met and exceeded the standards this year. Visitors to accredited pubs, bars, clubs and hotels in Nottingham can feel assured that they have all set the bar high, to create a welcoming, safe and vibrant environment for everyone to enjoy.”

Our own Managing Director, Tristan Hessing, added, 'We’re delighted to have had the opportunity to showcase what’s possible with recycled plastic. This project highlights the benefits of a local, circular economy and serves as an educational experience for the next generation of waste plastic innovators.’

Gill Barker, Marketing Manager at Future Makers, Tristan Hessing, Managing Director at Future Makers, Amy Coulson, Projects, Events & Sponsorship Manager at It’s in Nottingham, Jake Epton, Project Executive at It's in Nottingham.

Looking Ahead

At Future Makers, we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished with this project. It’s a shining example of how collaboration, creativity, and sustainability can come together to create something special. As we look to the future, we’re excited to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with recycled materials and to inspire others to do the same.

The Best Bar None Nottingham Awards 2024 was more than just an event; it was a celebration of sustainability, community, and innovation. We’re honoured to have played a part in it and look forward to many more projects that combine our passion for design with our commitment to the environment.

Follow us on social media and join our mailing list to keep up to date with the exciting projects we’re working on in and around Nottingham this autumn.