Civic Trust
Encyclopedia
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
was a charitable organisation
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
founded in 1957. It ceased operations in 2009 and went into administration due to lack of funds/
The Civic Society Initiative was set up with the support of The National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, CPRE and other organisations to ensure a future for the civic society movement.
Original function
Its prime purpose was to improve the quality of new and historic buildings and public spaces, and to help improve the general quality of urban life. The trust operated from two main offices, in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and supported a national network of civic societies
Civic society
In the United Kingdom a civic society is a voluntary body or society which aims to represent the needs of a local community.A civic society may campaign for high standards of planning of new buildings or traffic schemes, conservation of historic buildings, and may present awards for good standards...
. These were local groups in which volunteer members helped to improve their surroundings. It ran the Civic Trust Regeneration Unit, which supported urban renewal through programmes addressing issues of concern such as "the night time economy". It ran campaigns to influence and change thinking on civic matters, and change government policy. It helped establish conservation area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
s and coordinate Heritage Open Days.
Civic Trust Awards
The Civic Trust Awards was established in 1959 to recognise outstanding architecture, urban design, landscape and public are which improve the quality of life for local communities.Whilst the Civic Trust as an umbrella organisation went into Administration in April 2009, the Civic Trust Awards have continued as an independent scheme operating on a not-for-profit basis.
Awards are given for buildings and schemes which were architecturally outstanding and made positive differences to their local community. Each entry is judged by a voluntary panel including an Architect, Inclusive Design Advisor, a representative from the Local Planning Authority and a Local Community Representative.
Award winning schemes, which received a plaque, included:
- Hallgate, Blackheath Park, London, 1961.
- Nottingham PlayhouseNottingham PlayhouseThe Nottingham Playhouse is a theatre in Nottingham, England. It was first established as a repertory theatre in the 1950s when it operated from a former cinema. Directors during this period included Val May and Frank Dunlop.-The building:...
1966. - Severn BridgeSevern BridgeThe Severn Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the River Severn between South Gloucestershire, just north of Bristol, England, and Monmouthshire in South Wales, via Beachley, a peninsula between the River Severn and River Wye estuary. It is the original Severn road crossing between England and...
1968. - Centenary BuildingCentenary BuildingThe Centenary Building is a building at the University of Salford in Greater Manchester, England. It was completed in December 1995 and opened in 1996 and was designed by the architect Stephen Hodder....
, University of Salford, 1997. - Saint Malachy's Church, BelfastSaint Malachy's Church, BelfastSaint Malachy's Church is a Catholic Church in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is located in Alfred Street, a short distance from Belfast City Hall. The Church is the focal point of the local parish community and Saint Malachy's Parish is one of the 88 parishes in the Diocese of Down and Connor...
, 2010.
Winning schemes are also considered for a sponsored Special Award.
The Civic Trust Awards has recently established an Advisory Group and still retains the full support of its National Panel of judges and volunteer assessors.
See also
- City of Winchester Trust
- Civic Trust for WalesCivic Trust for WalesThe Civic Trust for Wales was founded in 1964. It is a registered charity.The organisation promotes civic pride as a means to improve the quality of life for all in the places where the Welsh live and work...
- Cockburn AssociationCockburn AssociationThe Cockburn Association is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is one of the world's oldest architectural conservation and urban planning monitoring organisations....
(Edinburgh Civic Trust) - The Birmingham Civic SocietyThe Birmingham Civic SocietyThe Birmingham Civic Society was founded at an inaugural meeting on 10 June 1918 in The Council House, Birmingham, England and is registered with The Civic Trust. The first President of the Society, the Earl of Plymouth, addressed the assembled Aldermen, Councillors, Architects and other city...
- Bourne Civic SocietyBourne Civic SocietyBourne Civic Society is a voluntary organization concerned with the development of the town and community of Bourne, Lincolnshire, England.It was founded in 1977 at a time of a rapid expansion of the town...
- Leeds Civic Trust
- Nottingham Civic SocietyNottingham Civic SocietyThe Nottingham Civic Society is a civic society based in the city of Nottingham, England.The society was founded in 1962 and aims to care for the city of Nottingham, especially with respect to its historic buildings and heritage. Meetings are held in St Barnabas Cathedral Hall.- External links :*...
- The Scottish Civic Trust
- Swindon Civic TrustSwindon Civic TrustThe Swindon Civic Trust is a voluntary organisation and registered charity established in Swindon, England in 2001. Affiliated to the Civic Trust of England and Wales, the organisation's stated aims are to improve the quality of new and historic buildings and public spaces, and to help improve the...
- York Civic Trust