Mill Gate Wins Gold for Outstanding Community Engagement

We're incredibly proud to announce that Mill Gate Shopping Centre has been awarded Gold at the prestigious Commonwealth Environment and Corporate Social Responsibility Awards 2026, recognising our ongoing commitment to supporting the local community.

Presented during a ceremony held alongside the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the Gold award celebrates organisations that make a meaningful and lasting difference through community engagement and social responsibility.

This recognition reflects everything that makes Mill Gate more than just a shopping destination. Over the years, we've worked closely with local charities, community groups, schools, retailers and organisations to create a welcoming, inclusive space where people can connect, access support and enjoy a wide range of community initiatives.

One of the key reasons behind the award was our commitment to giving back to the community. From transforming vacant retail units into valuable spaces for organisations such as Veterans in Communities, Bury Hospice and The Met Theatre's artist development project, to offering free promotional space for local groups throughout the year, we're proud to provide opportunities that benefit the people of Bury.

The judges also recognised our fundraising efforts, with more than £90,000 raised through the shopping centre over the past year to support charities and local causes.

Alongside this, we're continually looking at ways to make Mill Gate as welcoming and accessible as possible. Initiatives including our weekly Quiet Hour, free period products, water bottle refill station, food bank donation point, The Book Nest honesty library, participation in the Age Friendly 'Take a Seat' campaign, stoma-friendly facilities, and our roles as both a Safe Space and Hate Crime Reporting Centre all contribute to creating a shopping centre that supports everyone in our community.

Angela Tierney, Centre Manager at Mill Gate, said:

"Winning Gold is an incredible honour and something everyone connected with Mill Gate can be proud of. Community has always been at the heart of everything we do, and this award reflects the amazing partnerships we've built with local charities, schools, community groups, retailers and visitors.

"This achievement belongs to everyone who has supported us along the way. We'd like to thank our retailers, community partners, volunteers and visitors for helping us make Mill Gate a welcoming, inclusive place that gives back to the people of Bury. We're excited to continue building on this success and creating even more opportunities to support our local community."

Winning this Gold award is a fantastic milestone, but it's also motivation to continue growing our community programme and supporting the people and organisations that make Bury such a special place.

A huge thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey so far. Here's to continuing to make a positive difference together.