PRESTIGIOUS COUNTRYSIDE AWARDS DEADLINE APROACHING SOON

Community groups, businesses and individuals are being encouraged to submit entries for the Friends of the Peak District’s Countryside Awards before the competition closing date on Monday 30th June.

The awards, which recognise good building design and projects to promote access and enjoyment of the Peak District and South Yorkshire, are celebrating their 25th anniversary.

To mark the occasion the Friends of the Peak District and CPRE have joined in partnership with the Peak District National Park Authority to create a new prize category.

The Craftsmanship in Building Award will recognise the important contribution that skilled and experienced craftspeople – such as stonemasons, carpenters, glaziers, dry-stone wallers – make in building projects within the Peak District National Park boundary.

Far too much of rural England has lost its distinctiveness under an onslaught from inappropriate development and valued historic environment skills are in short supply and in danger of being lost, explains Chair of the Countryside Awards judging panel, Christopher Pennell.

Friends of the Peak District fights these challenges which threaten the special qualities of the Peak District countryside but the Countryside Awards provides a wonderful opportunity to also celebrate the efforts of those aspiring to good design and enhancing the rural landscape. We are delighted to welcome the Peak District National Park Authority on board to champion the valuable skills of skilled craftspeople and we look forward to working closely with them.

Presented in two categories for schemes that respect and promote the special qualities of their area, the Awards cover:

- Design - covering new-build projects, renovations, landscape reclamation initiatives etc and;

- Access and Enjoyment - rewarding schemes including interpretation, education projects and enhancement work.

Winning projects since 1982 include a:

Waste-water management scheme
Outdoor classroom
Modern design museum
Farm tour
Craftsman-built memorial bridge
Set of parish walks leaflets

Our victories in campaigning to protect the countryside are often those that go unseen, says Friends of the Peak District Chief Executive Carol Robinson. The Countryside Awards are therefore a superb opportunity to reward the efforts of those working help others enjoy and appreciate the countryside. Submitting an entry is very straightforward and we hope that many people will take this opportunity to take part in this special showcase of design excellence.

The third category will be the Peak District National Park Authority’s craftsmanship award. The craftsmanship award will be bi-annual and alternate with a prize to recognise good building design in the national park.

Barbara Wilson, Chair of the Peak District National Park Authority’s Planning Committee, said: We are delighted to sponsor a new craftsmanship category in the Friends of the Peak District Countryside Awards.

Our main purpose is to conserve and enhance the national park but we also recognise it is a living and breathing place. We are keen to support development and projects that are at home in the past but also are fit for the future. This award is a way of recognising the significant contribution of craftspeople to this work.

Entries for the 2008 Countryside Awards have to be submitted before the 30th June closing date. Further information about the Awards, eligibility details and a downloadable entry form are available on our Countryside Awards webpage. Alternatively contact Friends of the Peak District/CPRE on tel: 0114 266 5822 or email Lindsay@friendsofthepeak.org.uk.