Somerset's eco-friendly outdoor activity centre, the Mill on the Brue, begins the new year on a high after celebrating a very successful 2008 in terms of recognition.

It's now the proud bearer of three prestigious green accolades for its environmentally friendly initiatives.

First, the Bruton-based centre received a Green Tourism gold award – one of only two such awards in Somerset – showing it has reached the highest standards in sustainable tourism.

Then, last month it was a runner up in the best British project category in The Times's Green Travel awards, coming second only to the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT), Powys, Wales.

"We're very pleased to come second to CAT – it has just got a £4.5-million lottery grant." says Mill on the Brue owner Tricia Rawlinson Plant.

Also in December, the Mill on the Brue received a silver award in the sustainable tourism section of the South West Tourism Awards.

Two years ago the centre won a gold but Tricia said they're still pleased with their silver as competition was far stiffer this time, with more than 250 entries across the region.

The not-for-profit, family-run educational organisation, which has been inspiring children and adults for 25 years, has a stringent eco code and is committed to reducing its impact on the environment.

As well as following the principles of reduce, recycle, reuse, 80 per cent of the food eaten is produced on site, in the vegetable garden.

Its award-winning eco building, the Longhouse, is built with wood sourced from four miles away, has a roof made from recycled tyres, is insulated with sheep's wool and uses ground source heating. Rainwater is harvested to flush the loos.

A small wind turbine powers the straw bale education centre, the Apple Store, and the Rawlingson Plants have planted about 4,000 trees on the land.