In 2018 we received a request from the organisers to reapply for the award as it only lasts for 5 years.
On 30th November 2018, the Society were delighted to welcome two Assessors from the Award Scheme to North Duffield Village Hall. They were given a presentation of the activities of the Society since our last award in 2013 and a display of artefacts from our archaeological excavations and the model of the village created by Tony Stevens. Present were John Ellwood, Tony Stevens, Brian Elsey and Mark Simpson. Miss Tina McCarthy, a member of the now defunct Monday Club, and Miss Clare Busfield came to support our application and were questioned by the Assessors as to how, being part of the Society, had influenced them. Tina has been involved in both our Heritage Lottery Funded Projects since 2011 and Clare is fully engaged with our most recent Project since 2017. The Monday Club was a privately run group of people suffering from learning and other physical disabilities.
In February 2019 we learned that we had once again been successful in our application and were invited to an award ceremony at Catterick Garrison on 3rd April 2019.
On this occasion a group of four again attended the ceremony, Bob Wells(Treasurer),Joyce Baines-Holgate(Secretary ,Brian Elsey(Archaeology Coordinator) and Tina McCarthy.
Joyce-Baines-Holgate volunteered to be presented with the award by the Duke on behalf of the Society. A nice touch was that Prince Andrew, recognising Joyce’s disability, came down from the stage to present the award at ground level even though had been determined to climb the steps to him.
So now, for a further five years we are allowed to display the Royal insignia on our website and letterheads.
We are extremely proud to have been awarded this honour by His Royal Highness. The award is only given to community groups in the whole of Yorkshire and, to date, over 400 groups have received the award.
With no sign of our activities diminishing, we look forward to applying again in 2023!
Once all the awards had been distributed, the Duke came down for a more informal chat to learn what we had been doing and to congratulate us. This was a very proud day for a little Society.
In November 2012, we were advised to apply for the above award as the work we had been doing, in the opinion of another winner of the award, more than merited consideration.
I submitted an application in January 2013 and in September, 2013, assessors visited the village to examine our application. They were given a full presentation of work that we had been doing supported by children from the local school who came with the Head Teacher, Mr Russell.
In due course we heard the news that we had been successful and that we had been invited to a presentation ceremony at The Spa, Bridlington on 10th October 2013.
We were amongst a number of winners and so four of us set off to meet the Duke of York: John Ellwood, Eileen Crisp, Tony Stevens and Brian Elsey.
This was a very grand affair with refreshments and the opportunity to meet all the other winners.
Whilst I was away from our table, the other three had decided that I would collect the award from the Duke so, some nervous time later, I mounted the stage to shake hands with His Royal Highness and receive the certificate.