Have you rescued a crumbling historic house, brought life back to a redundant industrial building, uncovered the beauty of a forgotten garden or saved a place of worship for the community? If so, Andrew Lloyd Webber, the Telegraph and English Heritage want to hear from you!

The English Heritage Angel Awards were founded by Andrew Lloyd Webber to reward the efforts of local people in saving their heritage. The Telegraph is the media partner for the awards and the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation co-funds the awards.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said: “All those shortlisted will have a film made about their project and be invited to our glittering awards ceremony at the Palace Theatre in October, where the whole heritage world will be gathered. I’m passionate about saving historic buildings and treasured places which are at risk from neglect and decay. So if you share my commitment and have achieved something special, let us know about it. Apply directly or nominate others who deserve the national recognition that comes with winning an Angel award.”

Mark Skipworth, Executive Editor of the Daily Telegraph, said: “The Telegraph is fully behind saving England’s heritage at risk and proud to support the Angel Awards. As well as covering the winners, we shall be featuring interesting applications as they come in, so don’t be modest. Let us use your story to inspire others.”

Entries are judged by a panel of experts from the heritage sector before a shortlist of 16 is put before the judges, chaired by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and including English Heritage’s Chief Executive Simon Thurley, Charles Moore of the Telegraph and the Bishop of London, the Right Revd Richard Chartres.

Simon Thurley said: “This year, the Angels Awards will be more glittering than ever as the heritage world is celebrating a big centenary. A hundred years ago we got the legislation that began the listing system without which we would have lost many of our greatest and most beautiful buildings. Despite a hundred years of heritage protection we still have thousands of important historic places that are in a desperate state. We are searching for the Angels who have saved them for our special centenary Angels prize.”

Applications are welcomed from private owners who have turned neglected buildings into treasured homes, commercial organisations and companies which have perhaps restored historic industrial buildings, volunteers who have saved a local landmark for the community and craftsmen and women who have employed exceptional skills on a rescue.

Award categories
The English Heritage Angel Awards are for:

• the best rescue or repair of a historic place of worship
• the best rescue of a historic industrial building or site
• the best craftsmanship employed on a heritage rescue, and
• the best rescue of a listed building, scheduled monument, registered garden, landscape or battlefield, protected wreck or conservation area. 

“We found the experience of being entered into the Angel Awards a very uplifting time. We had not realised how important the work we did was to the wider community.”
St Andrew’s Church Committee, Ulrome, East Yorkshire

“Attending the awards ceremony was inspiring. Great to see so many others who were facing similar issues and yet managing to overcome them.”
Ian Douglas, Dewar’s Lane Granary

Further information

For full details on how to enter for an English Heritage Angel Award, or to nominate someone else, visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/heritageangelawards or for help, contact Angels@english-heritage.org.uk.

See films of last year’s winners and highlights of the 2012 Awards Ceremony.

For further press information please contact: Lauren Schofield, English Heritage Communications, on 020 7973 3860 or email lauren.schofield@english-heritage.org.uk.