Shepherd Neame Village Pub Crowned UK Community Hero

Shepherd Neame licensees Julia and Michael Foxwell, who run The Old House at Home in Dormansland, are adding another award to their shelf after being crowned UK Community Sustainability Hero in the PubAid Community Pub Hero Awards 2026.

The couple, who have run the village pub in Surrey since 2024, were invited to a prestigious awards ceremony at the House of Commons on Tuesday, September 8 after being nominated by East Surrey MP Claire Coutinho. They were one of 13 category winners from across the UK.

The pub was recognised for its efforts to make the hospitality industry greener, with initiatives such as securing funding from the Surrey County Council Active Travel Programme to purchase a staff e-bike, install an e-bike charging point and operate a free public bike repair station.

The couple also reuse coffee grounds as fertiliser, collect pet fur for birds to use as nesting material, turn spent beer into a natural slug deterrent, and the pub’s outdoor furniture is made using reclaimed scaffold boards and poles.

The Old House at Home has already received numerous accolades, including the Sustainability Award at the BII National Innovation in Training Awards 2025 and Sustainable Pub of the Year at the Shepherd Neame Pub Awards 2026.

The 2026 PubAid awards received a record number of nominations from MPs, highlighting growing recognition in Parliament of the role pubs play within their constituencies.

East Surrey MP Claire Coutinho said:

“The Old House at Home is a brilliant example of how a rural pub can combine community spirit with fresh thinking on sustainability."

"From encouraging cycling and creating wildlife-friendly spaces to reducing waste, reusing materials and supporting local suppliers, Julia and the team have shown that practical changes can have a real impact.”

PubAid Co-Founder Des O’Flanagan added:

“The Old House at Home is a brilliant example of just how important pubs are to the communities they serve."

"What they have achieved in Surrey, from making sustainability part of everyday pub life through active travel, waste reduction and practical environmental initiatives, shows that a great pub is about so much more than food and drink; it is a place that brings people together, supports those who need it and makes a real difference locally.”

The Old House at Home Licensee Michael Foxwell said:

“It was an absolute privilege to even get to the final, and to win was an absolute shock as the other pubs nominated also had great sustainability initiatives. We are proud to make a difference in the community and are celebrating the fact that small changes can make a big difference."

“To be recognised on a national level was a truly memorable moment. The award belongs to not just The Old House at Home, but the whole community of Dormansland.”

Shepherd Neame Director of Tenanted Pub Operations Greg Wallis said: “

"We are incredibly proud of Michael and Julia, and the whole team at The Old House at Home, for being recognised at the PubAid Community Pub Hero Awards."

"Their efforts to put green initiatives at the heart of their business shows that it is possible to create more sustainable spaces in the hospitality industry, and their award for UK Community Sustainability Hero is a credit to the pub.”

The PubAid Community Pub Hero Awards 2026 are sponsored by Diageo and supported by the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG).

For more information about the awards, visit here.