A student from the University of Stirling has been awarded Young Sustainability Innovator of the Year at the Sport and Recreation Alliance Awards 2025, and was presented the award by Prince Edward.
James Bennett, an Environmental Geography and Outdoor Education student, was a key and avid member of the University of Stirling Mountaineering Club (USMC). Taking on the role of Climbing Coordinator in 2023/24, organising and teaching students how to climb safely, and taking the helm as President of the club in 2024/25, he quickly became a loved and crucial member in the club’s future.
During these roles James worked tirelessly and enthusiastically to always improve the club for its members and the environment, focusing on sustainability and social responsibility, and also being a strong advocate for climate literacy, regularly engaging club members in discussions on environmental issues such as deforestation, deer management, and peatland conservation.
When asked what it meant for him to win the award, James said: “Winning this award and was an honour to be recognised for my committee’s and my hard work on this topic. It has been a great opportunity to amplify the need for more work on sustainability in sport. This isn’t always what you think, reducing barriers to make a sport more accessible is sustainability related because there is no such thing as climate justice without social justice.”
The USMC stated on their Instagram: “As our former President (2024-25) and Climbing Coordinator (2022-23) he [James Bennett] dedicated huge amounts of time striving to make the club more sustainable and accessible.
“We are hugely thankful and proud of him for his achievements and as always wish him the best of luck! Big congratulations again James!”
The UoS Sport’s Union said: “Huge congratulations to James on being awarded Young Sustainability Innovator of the Year at the Sport and Recreation Alliance Awards 2025.”
“We are so proud of James receiving this award as his ability to drive meaningful change and ongoing efforts will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on both the mountaineering community and the wider environmental movement.”
Now James is working as an Estate Ranger at Oxygen Conservation at the Invergeldie Estate, his job consists of working in lanscape scale conservation and restoration – still he strives to fight for the environment and sustainability, and advocating for the climate in his day-to-day life.
Featured image credit: Sport and Recreation Alliance