Andrew Lloyd Webber Hails Heroes Of Heritage

21 Aug 2014 01:00 PM

Shortlist Announced for English Heritage Angel Awards - Vote for Your Favourite! 

Prehistoric rock carvings on the Yorkshire Moors, a vandalised urban church with hidden murals, one of the last working farrier blacksmith's in the country, a carpenter talent-spotted while a trainee labourer, an 18th century water mill providing electricity for the national grid and a lost Georgian landscape - these are among 16 heritage projects that have made it to the shortlist for the English Heritage Angel Awards 2014.

The Angel Awards were founded in 2011 by Andrew Lloyd Webber to celebrate the efforts of individuals and local groups all over the country who put hours of hard work, passion and perseverance into saving vulnerable, damaged and derelict historic landmarks from being lost forever.

The shortlist was announced yesterday (Tuesday 19 August, 2014) and the 16 community groups and individuals behind these projects are now looking forward to attending a star-studded, red carpet awards ceremony at the Palace Theatre in London on the evening of Monday 3 November, hosted by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "The English Heritage Angel Awards are a highlight of my year. Meeting all the wonderful people on the shortlist, hearing the stories of their rescue projects and seeing the extraordinary range of beautiful and fascinating historic places that they have saved is extremely moving and humbling. They are both enriching their immediate communities and saving national treasures, for which present and future generations will thank them."

He added: "The Angel Awards get bigger and better each year and I'm delighted that next year will see the first Scottish Heritage Angel Awards running in parallel with the English ones."

Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: "The Angel Awards shine a light on the thousands of people who make up England's volunteer heritage army. Sometimes with the help and expertise of bodies like English Heritage, but sometimes by just going it alone they make saving our nation's heritage a reality. Their passion, perseverance and imagination is an inspiration to us all and means that we can remove sites from English Heritage's At Risk register which would otherwise be lost forever."

Also at the Awards show will be Angels judges George Clarke, Emma Bridgewater, historian Bettany Hughes and the Bishop of London, the Right Revd Richard Chartres, who in addition to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Simon Thurley will be picking four winners from the shortlist of 16. English Heritage is making films of all the rescue projects which will be shown on stage before the winners are announced.

Vote For Your Favourite

English Heritage, together with Angels media partner, The Telegraph, is inviting members of the public to vote for their favourite. The shortlisted project with the most votes will win the annual English Heritage Followers and Telegraph Readers' Favourite Angel Award. 

Come To The Awards

To apply for a pair of tickets to the awards show at the Palace Theatre on 3 November, please email your name and address to angels@english-heritage.org.uk

Follow The Angels

Search for #HeritageAngels on Twitter for updates and join in the conversation by telling us about other heritage rescues.

 
 

Shortlist For The English Heritage Angel Awards 2014

Best Rescue or Repair of a Place of Worship

Best Rescue of a Historic Industrial Building or Site

Best Rescue of any other type of Historic Building or Place

Best Craftsmanship Employed on a Heritage Rescue

The Telegraph is media partner for the awards and the Awards are co-funded by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. www.andrewlloydwebberfoundation.com