The Bermuda National Trust has honoured the “outstanding” work and contributions of those who “have worked for the benefit of Bermuda and its people” at its annual awards ceremony.

Gathered in the Bermuda Room at Elbow Beach last Thursday, awardees were presented with certificates and trophies by Governor George Fergusson; Community Minister Wayne Scott; Junior Education Minister Leah Scott and Junior Environment Minister Lynne Woolridge.

The Patsy Phillips Bermudiana award — the top award in the Environment category “given in recognition of outstanding projects, programmes or initiatives demonstrating care of the environment or preservation of Bermuda’s natural heritage” — went to Jamie Bacon and Douglas Fort for their “substantial contributions to our knowledge of environmental pollution in Bermuda”.

Both Dr Bacon and Dr Fort study how pollution impacts the local toad, terrapin and killifish populations.

Awardees in the Awareness category were “projects, programmes or initiatives that serve to inspire appreciation and stewardship of Bermuda’s unique natural, built and cultural heritage”.

The most prestigious award in the category, the deForest Trimingham Awareness Award, went to the Fitted Dinghy Clubs of Bermuda — Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, the Sandys Boat Club and the St George’s Dinghy and Sports Club — “for keeping [the] unique tradition [of fitted dinghy sailing] alive and well”.

Harry Masters, 23, earned the David Wingate Award “for outstanding commitment as a volunteer for local environmental organisations and as an advocate for sustainability”.

Named to honour the former Bermuda Government conservation officer noted for his decades-long effort to rehabilitate the endangered cahow or Bermuda petrel, the award is presented to a young person to recognise an outstanding contribution to Bermuda’s natural environment.

Other Awareness category winners were the Bermuda Alliance for the Sargasso Sea, kite-maker Eugene O’Connor and traditional stonemason Larry Mills.

In the Service category, awards were “presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to the Trust”, called “the lifeblood of the organisation”.

Awardees included Palm Sunday Walk sponsors John Barritt & Son Ltd, Kitson Insurance Ltd and BNT volunteers and supporters Marielyce Watner and Pam Kempe.

Architects Henry Ming and Charles Tatem were honoured for more than a decade of service on the St George’s Preservation Authority.

Preservation and Architecture awards were awarded to “initiatives which contribute to the preservation of Bermuda’s unique man-made heritage, including buildings, gardens, furniture, documents, artwork and other artefacts and our architecture awards are presented to individuals or groups whose new buildings or additions show particular sensitivity to Bermuda’s traditional architecture, or are appropriate renovations of old buildings”.

Awardees in the Preservation and Architecture category were Carol West and Westport Architecture, for the aesthetically sensitive refurbishment of the old Bermuda cottage ‘Bee’s Nest’ in Hamilton Parish.

The Bermuda Government and the Corporation of Hamilton were honoured for adding eight buildings within the City of Hamilton to the list of architecturally and historically significant buildings in Bermuda.

Historic Buildings Advisory Committee member George Morton was honoured for serving for ten years. He has been its chairman for five years.

Builders Gilbert Lopes and Jose Correia Sr were honoured for the traditional dry Bermuda stone wall along Harbour Road and the entire length of Chapel Road in Paget.

The Bermuda Government and Botelho-Wood Architects were honoured for the sensitive renovation to the 20th century naval residence ‘Captain’s In Charge’.

In the Education category, awards went to “educational institutions for projects, programmes or initiatives that demonstrate care for the environment or preservation of Bermuda’s heritage, both natural and man-made”.

The Michael Darling Shield Top Education Award — the National Trust’s top school award for recognition of projects, programmes or initiatives by a school demonstrating care of the environment or preservation of Bermuda’s heritage, both natural and man-made — went to Northlands, Victor Scott and West Pembroke primary schools “for their work at the children’s kitchen garden at Government House”.

Awardees in the Education category were:

The Berkeley Institute — for the S2 Citizen’s class project, creating commercials highlighting environmental problems in Bermuda.

CedarBridge Academy — for the S3 students efforts in researching alternative energy resources and a school energy audit.

Dalton E Tucker Primary — for the schools Zen Garden, providing a tranquil space and outdoor classroom for students, teachers and staff.

Gilbert Institute — for the students work creating a butterfly and vegetable garden.

The ‘Wee Environmentalist’ award — given to “a preschool demonstrating exceptional commitment to environmental initiatives at their school, appropriate to the age and developmental level of the students” — went to Somersfield Academy’s Children’s House Division “for the creation of a vegetable, herb and flower gardens.”

The ‘Wee Environmentalist’ Top Award went to Southampton Preschool “for the students’ and teachers’ school-wide green activities”.

In the Environment category — given for “projects, programmes or initiatives which enhance and protect the Island’s natural environment, land or sea, or which improve the physical environment in our neighbourhood communities” — winners were:

Robin Horsfield — for assisting with Bermuda’s monofilament recycling project.

Lancashire Re — for adopting care of the Butterfield Nature Reserve.

Lindo’s Family Foods — for green initiatives, especially at the Devonshire store.

St Mark’s Church Vestry — for environmentally sensitive landscaping of its cemetery woodlands.

David Lang and the Friends of Verdmont — for arranging and supporting clean-ups and clearing of invasives at Verdmont.

Miguel Mejias — for volunteer work assisting in the conservation of Bermuda birds.

Michael Vlock and Karen Pritzker, along with David Cox of OBM — for the Castle Point Woodland Management Project.