We are delighted to announce that we are now actively accepting nominations for British Orienteering National Annual Awards. This year we have introduced a new category – Volunteer of the Year Award. This is an exciting new development! The Volunteer of the Year Award recognises one outstanding adult volunteer for their valuable time and commitment they have given over the year. This is in addition to the Young Volunteer Award which recognises commitment from those under the age of 25. We are delighted to introduce this new category into British Orienteering Annual Awards for 2018. Who do you think deserves to be recognised and nominated for this new award? Details of all the Volunteer, Club and Mapping Awards are outlined here, together with the criteria and nomination process for each Award. 

2018 Club, Coach and Volunteer Awards

Each year British Orienteering presents a number of awards to recognise the incredible effort and impact delivered by clubs, coaches and volunteers across orienteering.
 

2018 Award Categories Open for Nominations are as follows:

Club of the Year Award

Is your club an important part of the local community?

• Providing opportunities for everyone to experience high-quality activities at all levels of your sport or recreation?

• Demonstrating a commitment to the development of participants as well as coaches and volunteers?

• Taking an innovative approach to the promotion of the club?

Club of the Year Nomination Form – can be found here.

University Club of the Year Award

This award recognises the efforts of University Clubs in the development of participants as well as coaches and volunteers. The award is also to show appreciation for the University introducing and providing a gateway to the sport to their students.

University Club of the Year Nomination Form – can be found here.

Coach of the Year Award

Coach of the Year award is looking for coaches who demonstrate success in one or more of the following areas:

• engaging new people in orienteering
• improving the performance of orienteers
• mentoring and developing other coaches

Coach of the Year Nomination Form – can be found here.

Young Volunteer of the Year Award

This award is for a volunteer, under the age of 25, who has demonstrated a commitment to supporting delivery of orienteering activity with passion, energy and enthusiasm.

Young Volunteer of the Year Nomination Form – here.

Volunteer of the Year Award - new category!

This award is for a volunteer who has demonstrated a commitment to supporting delivery of orienteering activity with passion, energy and enthusiasm.

Volunteer of the Year Nomination Form – can be found here.

SILVA Award

- a person or persons who have made a very significant contribution to orienteering over a period of years, with an emphasis on ‘field' activities rather than committee work.

In 1983 SILVA (Sweden) AB decided to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the first Silva compass by establishing an annual award within each IOF member Federation. The awards were to enable Federations to honour those who have contributed in a special way to the development of orienteering. With the assistance of SILVA (UK) Ltd this was interpreted, within the UK, as being a person or persons who have made a very significant contribution to orienteering over a period of years, with an emphasis on ‘field' activities rather than committee work. Indeed, nominees may not be active or retiring members of the British Orienteering Board, nor part- or full-time employees of the Federation.

All members can nominate someone they believe has made a significant contribution to orienteering through ‘field’ activities.

SILVA Award Nomination Form – can be found here.

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2018 Mapping Awards

To encourage the production of high-quality maps the Map Group, on behalf of British Orienteering, awards a number of trophies to encourage high standards of mapping and related activities.

All nominations for the Mapping Awards below should be made by Sunday 24^th February 2019 and winners will be presented with their awards at the 2019 AGM.

Terry Smith, Chair of the Mapping Group, said: “We continue to be impressed with the high standard of maps submitted for the Mapping Awards. We particularly look forward to receiving nominations from, or on behalf of, new mappers and those who have not previously submitted entries.”

2018 Mapping Award Categories Open for Nominations are as follows: 

Chichester Trophy

The Chichester Trophy was donated by the Honorary President of the British Orienteering Federation in 1971, Sir Francis Chichester. The Trophy consists of the binnacle compass used on Sir Francis' 'round the world' yacht, Gipsy Moth V, mounted on a wooden plinth. The Trophy was first awarded in 1971 to Robin Harvey and Sue Bone for their map of Leith Hill. It was originally awarded for the Best Map produced in a single year, though later it was awarded for multiple maps or contribution to mapping. In 1985, with the introduction of the 'Bonington Trophy', the 'Chichester Trophy' reverted to the original concept of the best map produced by an amateur mapper.

Mapping Award Nomination Form – can be found here.

SILVA Trophy for Professional Maps

With the high standard of professionally surveyed and drawn orienteering maps being produced in Britain, the British Orienteering Map Group decided, in 1992, that a new trophy should be awarded in recognition of these mapping companies. The Map Group annually awards the 'Silva Trophy' to the best professionally produced map. This trophy, sponsored by SILVA U.K. Ltd. is made from Stourbridge crystal. This irregular shape, called cullet in the trade, is formed when the unused crystal cools. The base was made by Mike Baggott of Harlequins from English elm and the solid silver plate was purchased from a bullion supplier in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter and engraved nearby.

Mapping Award Nomination Form – can be found here.

Walsh Trophy

This trophy was made by Mike Baggott of HOC and is sponsored by Walsh Shoes. The trophy is made of old walnut with a triangular cross-section and an etched plate with an image of Canary Wharf, London. It is awarded annually to the best urban or sprint map drawn to ISSOM specification.

Mapping Award Nomination Form – can be found here.

Bonington Trophy

This trophy was donated to British Orienteering by its Honorary President, Sir Chris Bonington, the world-famous mountaineer. The trophy consists of a piece of rock collected from the summit of Mount Everest on Chris' 1985 expedition, mounted on a wooden plinth. It is awarded annually for the 'best contribution to mapping' which can cover a whole range of activities related to mapping.

Bonington Trophy Nomination Form – can be found here.

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Who are you going to nominate?

To find out more about the awards and how to nominate, click here.