Annual Dinner & Heritage Awards

The Trust's Annual Dinner and Heritage Awards took place on the evening of Wednesday 29th October at the Khaima at the Rock Hotel. The after dinner speaker was Dr. Simon Thurley, CEO of English Heritage, who gave an address on the importance of valuing the contribution heritage can make to the economy and sense of identity.

The well-attended dinner was precluded by the award of this years Heritage Awards which celebrate and recognise good practice and heritage friendly projects. The awards were presented by the Hon. S. Sacramento, Minister for Equality and Social Services who was also acting Chief Minister on the night.

This year three individual awards have been given, four group awards and one special commendation.

The first Individual Heritage Award was awarded to Dr. & Mrs. R. Coram for the sensitive restoration and refurbishment of 10 Library Street. This Georgian building has been restored as a labour of love, retaining many original features and is now a little gem of a family home in the heart of the old town.

The second Individual Heritage Award was awarded to Mr & Mrs. D Feetham for the sensitive design, extension and refurbishment of the original building at Ince’s Farm. The single-storey, building on the site has been restored and with the addition of an upper floor, in keeping with the colonial style of the original, presents a 21st century family home with little compromise to the site or the nature of the original building. Gibraltar Chronicle article

The third Individual Heritage Award was awarded to ir. B. Van Thienen for consistent efforts to voluntarily improve and upgrade numerous heritage items and sites. Bart’s energy and enthusiastic efforts have resulted in a reduction in incidences of graffiti specifically within the Nature Reserve and a number of heritage items and sites, specifically in the case of Devil’s Gap Battery, being cleaned and restored.

The Group Heritage Award this year was awarded to the Environmental Safety Group on the 10th anniversary of campaigning for an improved environment under the Clean Up the World banner. Over the years the ESG has organised clean-up campaigns hand in hand with educational initiatives which have had a direct impact on many heritage sites, but this award recognises more than just the physical clearance of these sites, the awareness campaign goes further by looking at the issue in a holistic way and lobbying for increased resources, funding and channelling energy into tackling long standing problematic areas of Gibraltar.

The second Group Heritage Award was awarded to Flat Bastion Mews for its sensitive restoration and regeneration. The building had been empty for some time and it was feared by some to be ready for demolition. However, the Government of Gibraltar took on the refurbishment challenge.  The restoration project has brought the building to life, maintaining much of its original character with sympathetic use of materials keeping the wooden sash windows and shutters throughout and iron work. The award is presented to its residents who are now the custodians of the building.

The third Group Heritage Award was awarded to The Cancer Relief Centre for the external renovation of the ex-Officer’s Mess at 5 South Barrack Road. The award, in this case, is granted for the sympathetic maintenance of the external appearance of the building, which has been repaired and restored with funding from the Gibraltar Government.  Internally, the building has been adapted for a very specific and necessary purpose, housing as it does, Clinics, Day Care facilities, Volunteer services, and a place of support and meeting for people living with cancer and their families.

The fourth Group Heritage Award was awarded to Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation, LuiRui Media and Jonathan Scott for the televised documentary series ‘Business Heritage’. This documentary focused on 10 of Gibraltar’s oldest businesses and featured interviews with managers, staff and descendants of the original founders of the businesses. The series now stands as a record of these businesses and captures an element of intangible heritage which is often so easily lost.

This year’s Special Commendation went to Deodar Ltd for the sensitive refurbishment of 31-35 Cannon Lane. The building had degraded over the years; its external features presenting an eroded and seemingly uninhabited picture to the Lane. Now, with its façade restored to its former dignity, the building has been converted to a mixture of residential and commercial units, ensuring its continued life for many years to come.