The Heritage Awards
Supported by MDEM and BBC Radio Northampton
The Heritage Awards are an opportunity to highlight some of the very best work done by a heritage organisation, society, or individual over the qualifying period.
Why enter?
The ceremony is attended by prominent Northamptonshire decision makers, funders, local government, VIPs, and supporters who are delighted to recognise the excellence found in the work of our members. As a winner, you’ll receive recognition, a handsome plaque to display, and be featured on our website, in press releases, and social media.
It’s great to be able to show off all the hard work that you and your team have completed over the year. Plus, it’s motivational for you – and inspiring for future volunteers. Your local community will be delighted to see your success and be encouraged to engage with what you do. It’s easy to apply, and exciting to take part, even if you don’t win. And if you do win, it is fantastic!
The all-important venue and date
Venue and date for 2025 to be confirmed
7pm start (arrival from 6pm)
The award ceremony has been an annual event up to 2023 but is now moving to a bi-annual one, which means the next awards will be in 2025. Where possible, the ceremony will be held a suitable venue often belonging to a member organisation.
The awards are supported by MDEM (Museum Development East Midlands) and BBC Radio Northampton, courtesy of John Griff.
2023 award winners at Chester House Estate with local dignatories and patron, The Earl Spencer, FSA, FRHistS, MA (Oxon.)
The categories
Best Exhibition
This award recognises excellence in exhibitions or displays. It could include a new permanent exhibition, temporary exhibition or display, an online exhibition or an exhibition publication or catalogue. The entry needs to demonstrate effective use of resources and success with the audience.
Best Event
This award recognises excellence in a one-off event organised by an organisation. The event could have taken place digitally, within its own site, or outside at another location. Entries for the Best Event category should demonstrate how the event has benefited those that took part including the organisation, the team and, as well as the impact on visitors. It should also demonstrate best use of the resources available.
Best Project by a Society, Organisation, Association or Group
This award recognises how well an organisation develops and completes a project on using their members or volunteers. This must be an ‘in house’ project and could include an event, an exhibition, a digital or other output. It would be useful to show how the project was put together and the methods or materials used as well as the costs involved. Judges will be particularly interested in entries that have included original research, or extended access to collections and innovative use of methods and materials.
Best Special Project
This award will recognise excellence in any project, behind the scenes or with the public, including a long-term project of a maximum of five years. This category recognises achievements in all areas that demonstrate an original approach that inspires others.
Best Volunteer Project Award
This award recognises the outstanding work of volunteers. This is an opportunity to celebrate work on projects, displays and exhibitions specifically developed by a group of volunteers or targeted at volunteers and volunteer recruitment. This award could include the work of a group of volunteers in original research, event management, conservation, preventative care, documentation and storage of their collection, or their leadership and management skills.
Community Wellbeing Award
This award recognises an organisation or individual that has worked effectively to improve community wellbeing, including the less advantaged, the socially isolated, children, families, schools and all ages. Judges will be looking for projects that have involved the community in the decision-making process and encouraged involvement and engagement. Applications should also demonstrate the project benefits realised to both the organisation and the community involved.
Hindsight Award for Best Published Work
This award recognises the research and production involved in any published work of a historical aspect of Northamptonshire’s heritage that has been made publicly accessible and published as a pamphlet, leaflet, guidebook, poster, map, CD, DVD, digitally or through social media. Submitted work must be original, not plagiarised and not published elsewhere.
Hindsight Award for Best Published Book
This award recognises the research and production involved in any published work of a historical aspect of Northamptonshire’s heritage that has been made publicly accessible and published as a physical book. Submitted work must be original, not plagiarised and not published elsewhere.
Northamptonshire ‘Heritage Organisation of the Year’
This award will be selected by the judges from all of the entrants to the categories above. You cannot apply separately. The judges will select the organisation that demonstrates excellence in a broad range of categories, especially those that reflect the impact their work has had on both the site itself as well as the wider community. The judges will also recognise organisations which are working towards leaving a legacy for future generations and contributions to local and regional sustainability.
Previous winners
2009 – Oundle Museum (1st Award)
2010 – Desborough Heritage Centre
2011 – Kettering Museum and Art Gallery
2012 – Canon’s Ashby National Trust
2013 – Canon’s Ashby National Trust
2014 – Desborough Heritage Centre
2015 – Kettering Museum and Art Gallery
2016 – Towcester Museum
2017 – Spratton Local History Society
2018 – Sulgrave Manor
2019 – Daventry Museum
2020 - awards not held
2021 - Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
2022 - Nenescape Landscape Partnership Scheme
2023 - Wicksteed Park
2023 winner: Wicksteed Park
Entries for 2025 awards
Award information is sent to all members, so that entries can be submitted.
All the entries will be shortlisted from their original application, supported by photographs if applicable. If there is only one entry for a category, the judges may decide to move it into another category and their decision is final.
Please note that the entry must have no more than 750 words (excluding the 50 words summary) and up to six photographs.
If you have any questions, email nhfawards@gmail.com today.
Key dates
1 March - 30 April Qualifying period
TBC The deadline for Hindsight entries (both categories)
TBC All other award entries must be received
TBC Awards ceremony (7pm prompt start)
Examples of previous winning entries
The Empty Chair Project
Daventry Museum
Community Award
To commemorate the centenary of the end of World War One, the Daventry community came together to pay tribute to the 114 Daventry Soldiers who lost their lives, through the museum’s Empty Chair Project. Model kits were distributed to local schools and community groups who built and decorated a chair to represent each soldier.
Judges looking round The Empty Chair project
The idea behind the empty chair is simple yet symbolic; those who did not return from the war to their families left an empty chair at home. The physical presence of the chair provides a constant reminder of a missing son, father, grandson, grandfather, brother, nephew or uncle, never to return home.
Close up of the project
To further encourage the community to take part, these unique chairs were displayed at the museum and then given to those who wished to remember a soldier by promising to set an empty chair at their table on Remembrance Sunday.
The Battle of Edgcote
Northamptonshire Battlefields Society
Hindsight Award
Another past winning entry from the Northamptonshire Battlefields Society
The Northamptonshire Battlefields Society aimed to publish a thorough but readable book about the campaign and battle of Edgcote in 1469, to coincide with the 550th anniversary. The publication was required to reach appropriate academic standards and to include, as far as possible, reprints of all of the historic sources. That way the book should become the definitive reference source. They also felt it was also important to raise the profile of the battle and document the terrain before HS2 potentially destroys part of the battlefield.
