Best of Northamptonshire’s Heritage
Northamptonshire Heritage Awards announce ten winners
Ten heritage organisations from Northamptonshire were recognised last week at the Northamptonshire Museum and Historic Houses Forum’s Heritage Awards. The Awards celebrate the county’s outstanding heritage through the work of almost 50 museums, historic houses and other historic organisations.
The sector plays a vital role in attracting visitors the county each year with tourism contributing around £900 million to the local economy and supporting jobs.
The ceremony was held at Boughton House, near Kettering, on Thursday 18 July, winners included; Sywell Aviation Museum who won Best Special Project and Desborough Heritage Centre who won Best Project on a limited budget. Canons Ashby won the prestigious Historic Site of the Year Category, while Sywell Aviation Museum scooped the People’s Choice Award, a publicly voted category reflecting the population of Northamptonshire’s favourite heritage destination supported by BBC Radio Northampton.
The Forum’s Honorary Award was given to loan Thomas from Oundle Museum who played an important part in the setting up of the Forum. His energy and enthusiasm for the heritage of the County and the forum has left a legacy of this successful organisation which the Forum felt, needed to be acknowledged.
Organised by a sub-committee of the Northamptonshire Museums and Historic Houses Forum (NMHHF), a voluntary network dedicated to supporting and developing heritage organisations in the county. The Awards ceremony was hosted by BBC Radio Northampton’s John Griff and were attended by many VIPs including Councillor Kelli Watts, the Mayor of Kettering, Councillor Paul Bell from Northampton County Council and Dr. Delia Heneghan and Dr. Jim Beach from The University of Northampton. The Awards were sponsored by The University of Northampton and supported by BBC Radio Northampton and Arts Council England.
The winners of the 2013 Northamptonshire Heritage Awards are:
- Best Exhibition: Kettering Museum and Art Gallery
- Best Special Project: Sywell Aviation Museum
- Work with Children / Young People: Wollaston Heritage Society
- Best Volunteer Project: The Canal Museum Stoke Bruerne
- Best Project on a Limited Budget: Desborough Heritage Centre
- Best Event for a Museum: Wellingborough Museum
- Judges Special Award: Piddington Roman Villa Museum
- Forum Honorary Award: Ioan Thomas from Oundle Museum
- People’s Choice Award: Sywell Aviation Museum
- Historic Site of the Year: Canon’s Ashby
Find out more about the Northamptonshire Museums and Historic Houses Forum, by contacting Carole Bancroft-Turner, Forum Co-ordinator at carole.bancroft-turner@virgin.net.
