The Yorkshire Society was honoured to organise this year’s Yorkshire Awards, the 30th year these prestigeous awards have been held.
A complete new look was unveiled to mark the milestone and a new format for the night saw a Gala Dinner followed by the Awards Ceremony with both preceded by a video presentation to set the scene and the mood.
Kay Mellor OBE, a Society Vice President, was one of the big winners on the night receiving the well deserved Lifetime Achievement Award. Another Society Vice President and host of the Awards Ceremony itself, Harry Gration MBE, presented Kay with her award.
The night was the first opportunity for our new official Town Crier, David Hinde, to add something special to one of our events, and he certainly did. As master of ceremonies he really stood out and made himself heard.
A new award has been created for the Yorkshire Awards; symbolising the proud nature of the Yorkshire people and recognising that winners are people and organisations the county can be proud of.
Cast in bronze and standing on a base of solid slate, the awards are hand-finished making each totally unique and a truly prized possession.
Next year, a 2+ meter high version will be installed as a permanent exhibit in Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
The winners of this year’s Yorkshire Awards were:
Special Award: WELCOME TO YORKSHIRE
Community Hero Award: SARAH HINTON (Shine West Bowling, Bradford)
Richard Whiteley Award: MARK GREGORY
Business Enterprise Award: POLYPIPE LIMITED
Arts and Entertainment Award: BBC and ITV (Jointly)
Sporting Achievement Award: JACK LAUGHER MBE
Woman of the Year Award: BARONESS SAYEEDA WARSI
Man of the Year Award: BEN DAVIS
Lifetime Achievement Award: KAY MELLOR OBE
The management and staff at the Hilton Leeds City hotel, where the awards were held on 12th October 2018, entered into the spirit of the occassion and provided an excellent dinner and facilities.
Plans are already in hand for the 2019 awards and this year’s event has set the bar high!