The search for Northern Ireland’s first Heritage Angels is moving forward with the final Heritage Angel Awards shortlist revealed today. These annual awards aim to celebrate unsung angels of local heritage- individuals or groups, who have rescued an historic building or site, worked as craftsmen or apprentices, or recorded and interpreted a historic place.
The Angel Awards are not just about heritage recording, rescue and restoration, but the people that make heritage projects happen. Showcasing what is possible when people take interest in and get involved with the care and consideration of our heritage.
Comprising 12 projects across four different categories, the shortlist showcases a range of diverse heritage initiatives across Northern Ireland. The 2017 shortlist includes private owners; volunteers; community groups, commercial owners, apprentices, craftsmen and young people. All of whom have developed their interest in heritage, in different ways and applied their interest into quality schemes in Northern Ireland.
The 2017 Heritage Angel Award Shortlist is:
Category 1: Best Rescue of a Historic Building
Category 2: Best Contribution to a Heritage Project by Young People
Category 3: Best Craftsmanship or Apprentice on a Heritage Rescue or Repair Project
Category 4: Best Rescue, Recording or Interpretation of a Historic Place
The overall winner in each of the categories will be named at the Northern Ireland Heritage Angel Awards ceremony on Tuesday 7th November at the Grand Opera House, Belfast. The event will also celebrate ‘Heritage in Song’, where local artists including Brigid O’Neill; Duke Special, Anthony Toner and Gareth Dunlop will perform bespoke material around the heritage theme. Tickets are free. All welcome. Book online at: www.uahs.org.uk/events
The Awards are funded by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation; the Department of Communities and the Heritage Lottery Fund. An overall UK winner from the three award schemes, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, will be selected and celebrated at the London ceremony on Monday 20th November.
We are also asking members of the public to cast their vote for their choice from the shortlist online at www.heritageangelawards-ni.org.uk
