The second annual Scottish Heritage Angels Awards, recognising volunteers’ impact on Scottish Heritage, is being held in Edinburgh tonight.
Among the winners were a project to collect and record bricks, the restoration of a WWI memorial in Orkney, and a television channel run by young people to highlight an archaeological dig.
A project undertaken by Baberton Mains History Group for their social history and heritage project exploring the 1970s Wimpey Baberton Mains housing estate development was shortlisted in the Investigating and Recording category which was won by Mark Cranston for work recording bricks in the Scottish Borders.
The award recipients were competing in five categories and the winners were announced at a ceremony hosted by author and broadcaster, Vanessa Collingridge.
The event celebrated volunteers’ efforts, who have worked hard for better appreciation and protection of Scotland’s heritage and history.
Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose charity, the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, established and funds the awards, said: “The Scottish Heritage Angel Awards highlight what can be achieved when local people get involved in rescuing and restoring heritage throughout Scotland – from Dumfries to Orkney to Bo’ness. Huge congratulations to the winners, and indeed to all who were shortlisted, not only for the work they do but for being outstanding ambassadors for heritage. I urge everyone to use the light we shine on these projects and their unsung heroes to unlock further funding and to inspire others to get involved.”
Mark Cranston , who was named as winner of the Investigating and Recording category, worked on a project researching and recording information on the Scottish industrial brick industry. For four years Mark has collected more than 2000 bricks, each one of which tells its own story of an industry which was once thriving.
Neil Kermode and the Orkney Heritage Society won the Caring and Protecting category. The group worked to restore the HMS Hampshire, or ‘Kitchener’ memorial on Orkney. The memorial is dedicated to more than 737 men who lost their lives on 5 June 1916 when the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Hampshire struck a German mine just 1.5 miles off the shore from Orkney.
The award in the Sharing and Celebrating category was won by The Friends of Kinneil. They are recognised for the work they do in championing the heritage of Kinneil House, museum, estate and nature reserve in Bo’ness where James Watt is famously said to have considered the power of steam.
The Young Heritage Angel Award was won by ‘Dig TV’. They created television content, focusing on a major archaeological excavation in the Black Loch of Myrton, engaging with an entirely new audience in the process.
The Lifetime Contribution to the Historic Environment award was presented to Brian Watters. The award was recognition for Brian’s work relating to the Carron Iron Works in Falkirk, by Historic Environment Scotland Chief Executive Alex Paterson. For more than 30 years he has done much to advance the local, national, and worldwide knowledge on the iron works and its related industrial history.
Commenting on the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said: “The awards provide a platform to celebrate those selfless individuals around the country who devote their time and energy to a cause bigger than themselves – to the benefit of their communities and further afield. Often with little or no recognition or thanks.”
Recognising the positive impact that volunteers have on Scotland’s heritage, the awards align with the key underlying principles of Our Place in Time, the first historic environment strategy for Scotland, which places a strong focus on supporting and enabling participation across the historic environment.
For full details of the official shortlist here
Reporter and Journalism student at Edinburgh Napier University
