That Campaign About the Bins Has Made a National Shortlist Cumberland Waste Campaign Shortlisted for National Recycling Award
Marra Mode is how we'd tell you this in the Co-op. Switch it off for the straight version.
The council's waste and street-scene films are up for a national recycling award. They made them with Quokka between February and June. Winners get named in London on 1 December.
If you've ever watched the lorry go and thought, does any of that recycling actually get recycled, this is you.
The council's been shortlisted for Campaign of the Year at the 2026 MRW National Recycling Awards — that's the national do for waste and recycling, in the Health and Safety or Educational Outreach category. They made a digital campaign with Quokka between February and June, to push back on the idea that the bins and the street-scene lot don't know what they're doing, and to get folk doing the small stuff that helps.
It was videos and posts from behind the scenes: the plant, the collection crews, the sweepers, the enforcement. Thousands of people across the county saw it. Folk said it settled a few arguments about where the recycling actually goes.
Councillor Denise Rollo said: "We are incredibly proud to have been shortlisted for a National Recycling Award. This recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of our waste, recycling, street scene and communications teams, who worked together to create a campaign that put people at the heart of the conversation."
"Our frontline staff provide essential services every day and this campaign gave residents an opportunity to see the skill, commitment and professionalism that goes into keeping Cumberland clean and green, while also helping people understand what happens to their recycling and how small actions can make a big difference."
Max Kirton from Quokka said: "Going behind the scenes with Cumberland Council's Waste and Public Space teams was a real eye-opener. The scale of the operation, the expertise involved and the commitment of the people delivering these services every day is genuinely impressive."
Winners get named at the Royal Lancaster in London on 1 December. Last year more than 600 people from the industry turned up.
The write-up's on the council site.
Cumberland Council has been shortlisted for Campaign of the Year at the 2026 MRW National Recycling Awards, for a February-to-June digital campaign made with local agency Quokka. Winners are announced in London on 1 December.
This is for anyone in Cumberland who puts the bins out, and anyone who has wondered what actually happens once the lorry has gone.
Cumberland Council has been shortlisted in the Campaign of the Year – Health and Safety or Educational Outreach category at the 2026 MRW National Recycling Awards. The nomination is for a digital campaign made with local media agency Quokka, running from February to June 2026. It set out to tackle negative views of the council's waste, recycling and street-scene services, rebuild trust, and encourage the small habits that help.
The films and posts took people behind the scenes: recycling processing and collections, street cleansing, and environmental enforcement. The council says thousands of residents across the county saw the work, and that people found it informative, reassuring and useful when they had doubts about recycling.
Councillor Denise Rollo, Executive Member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places, said: "We are incredibly proud to have been shortlisted for a National Recycling Award. This recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of our waste, recycling, street scene and communications teams, who worked together to create a campaign that put people at the heart of the conversation."
"Our frontline staff provide essential services every day and this campaign gave residents an opportunity to see the skill, commitment and professionalism that goes into keeping Cumberland clean and green, while also helping people understand what happens to their recycling and how small actions can make a big difference."
Max Kirton, founder of Quokka Media Group, said: "Going behind the scenes with Cumberland Council's Waste and Public Space teams was a real eye-opener. The scale of the operation, the expertise involved and the commitment of the people delivering these services every day is genuinely impressive."
The MRW awards are a national benchmark for waste, recycling and resource management. More than 600 people from the industry attended in 2025. This year's winners will be announced at the Royal Lancaster London on 1 December 2026.
The original announcement is on the Cumberland Council website.