President’s Branch Trophy

President’s Branch Trophy

With the financial backing of CAMAS (Aggregate Industries), Graeme Shove, the Institute president for 1996-97, presented a trophy to be awarded annually to the branch judged to have run the most educational and innovative programme during the previous 12 months.

The trophy competition recognizes that the strength of the Institute lies in the well-being of the branches and support for their activities and it is hoped that the competition will help branches to raise standards and increase the professionalism of their membership.

Branch officers are required to complete a questionnaire (copy attached) and submit this together with supporting documentation by the appointed date in August. Entries are scrutinised by a judging panel consisting of: the President, Chairman of Council, Chairman of the Education Committee, the Secretary of the Institute, and one Additional Member of Council.

The judging criteria are as follows:

Programme:

topicality, variety, innovation; joint meetings, seminars; study tours, visits; social activities.

Membership:

branch growth, age profile; meeting attendance; branch papers/awards; young members initiatives.

Branch promotion:

programme presentation, publicity; meeting format; reports for Quarry Management.

The trophy itself is in the form of a gavel and block, made from English bog oak. The block is decorated with polished specimens of stone from 13 quarries to represent the branches of the Institute in the UK. The trophy is insured by headquarters but should be kept secure by the winning branch during its period of tenure. At the end of the period of tenure the trophy is returned to Nottingham and the former holders are given a facsimile to hold in perpetuity. Inside the carrying box a silver plaque is inscribed each year with the name of the winning branch.

The presentation of the trophy to the winning branch takes place at the Annual Conference.