Stourport Canal Basins triumphs at National Lottery Awards

8 September 2009

British Waterways' restoration project team for Stourport Canal Basins, is celebrating after being voted the UK's favourite Lottery-funded heritage project, beating hundreds of projects from across the UK.

The Restoration of Stourport-on-Severn Canal Basins won the prestigious title of Best Heritage Project and a £2,000 cash prize to spend on the project, at this year’s National Lottery Awards.

Staff and volunteers from the project mingled with celebrity guests at the star-studded awards show, broadcast live on BBC 1 on Saturday 5 September.

Famous names attending included hosts Myleene Klass and Nick Knowles, actress Fay Ripley, model and presenter Lisa Snowdon, fellow Strictly Come Dancing contestant and broadcaster John Sergeant, ‘King of the Jungle’ Christopher Biggins, singer David Gray, The Noisettes, and 15-year old diving sensation Tom Daley.

The Restoration of Stourport-on-Severn Canal Basins received an incredible show of public support throughout all stages of the competition.

Accepting the award, British Waterways' regeneration manager, Chris Bailey said: “It is an absolute honour to have won this award. Our lottery funding has been vital to this extensive restoration project, which has truly made a huge difference to the local area and the community, giving Stourport a new lease of life. Being part of this year’s awards has enabled our project to be recognised on a national platform.”

He continues: “We have received tremendous support throughout all stages of the competition and on behalf of everyone involved in the Restoration of Stourport-on-Severn Canal Basins, I would like to thank each and every one of the thousands of people who voted for us.”

John Sergeant who presented the project with their National Lottery Award, said: “It has been an honour to meet all the fantastic staff and volunteers who run this brilliant project, and to have the chance to find out more about it.

“It really is a wonderful example of how Lottery funding has made a difference to the local community and beyond. I am so thrilled for them that they have received this much-deserved recognition tonight and I was delighted to have presented them with the Best Heritage Project award. I wish them all the best for the future in their good work, which is having such a positive impact on so many people.”

Ends

For further information, including images, quotes and/or interview requests please contact: Annabel Smith, communications executive, 01827 252036, 07823 531418

Notes to editors:

Restoration of Stourport-on-Severn Canal Basins received Lottery funding from Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England. There are seven categories in the Awards, each reflecting an area of Lottery funding: Arts; Education; Environment; Health; Heritage, Sport and Voluntary/Charity. The winners of the 2009 National Lottery Awards are:

• Best Arts Project: Sefton Performing Arts and Creative Education Centre
• Best Education Project: Tower Hamlets Summer University
• Best Environment Project: RSPB Dearne Valley - Old Moor Nature Reserve
• Best Health Project, in association with FemaleFirst.co.uk: The Jennifer Trust's Spinal Muscular Atrophy Outreach Service
• Best Heritage Project: Restoration of Stourport-on-Severn Canal Basins
• Best Sports Project: Community Sports Pavilion
• Best Voluntary/Charity Project, in association with Woman magazine: Harbour Place Day Centre

Voting was independently verified by Electoral Reform Services.

• This year The National Lottery is celebrating its 15th Anniversary. Since 1994, over £23 billion has been raised for Good Causes by Lottery players and over 325,000 grants have been made For more information on the National Lottery Good Causes or the Awards log on to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk

• The National Lottery Awards 2009 were launched in February this year, and Lottery-funded projects across the UK entered themselves or were nominated by a member of the public. An independent panel of judges selected a shortlist of ten projects per category from the entries received which then competed in two round of public voting:

Semi- Finals

There were a total of 70 projects in the semi-finals – 10 in each of the seven categories. The three projects with the most votes in each category went through to the final round of public voting

Final

There were a total of 21 projects in the finals – three in each of the seven categories. There was only one winner in each category. The seven winners were announced during The National Lottery: Big 7 - a special, star-studded BBC1 television programme transmitted live on Saturday 5 September.

About the project:

Restoration of Stourport-on-Severn Canal Basins, is a heritage restoration project in Stourport, which has created new community areas and tourist attractions. Stourport’s canal basins played a vital role in developing the UK’s canal transport system. This project enabled the restoration of canal structures such as locks and 29 buildings, and the landscaping of public areas. The five canal basins that make up the docks where the narrow boats were loaded and unloaded have now been restored and turned into a major community resource and tourist attraction.

The National Lottery Awards

Now in their sixth consecutive year, The National Lottery Awards recognise the difference that Lottery-funded projects - both large and small - make to local communities, and celebrate the achievements of the people behind them.

Since The National Lottery began in November 1994 – nearly 15 years ago - more than £23 billion has been raised for Good Causes with over 325,000 grants given out across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.