Ray Anglesea, one of our ministers, and a community regeneration officer working in the inner city areas of Newcastle upon Tyne with Planning Aid North has something to sing about.
It has been announced that Planning Aid North has won the 2007 prestigious Royal Town Planning Institute's (RTPI) North East Regional Award.
The announcement was made at the RTPI's annual gala dinner held at the Black Door Restaurant, Newcastle upon Tyne. The award was given to the Director of Planning Aid North, Kevin Lillie, by this year's RTPI national president Jim Claydon.
The citation read: "The 2007 RTPI NE Regional award winner is a planning education support programme for young people in the North of England, intended to raise awareness of the important role that planning plays in building sustainable neighbourhoods, and to encourage constructive participation in the new plan making system, and in major development and regeneration.
"The award scheme judges felt that this entry demonstrated best practice regionally, nationally and even beyond. The work contains many innovative elements, and should bring lasting benefits in community participation."
Commenting on the award Ray paid tribute to the many years working with Pilots and making Blue Peter models for childrens' addresses for Sunday morning worship, which had enabled him to think creatively of how to engage children in current planning projects in the inner cities.
Ray is a self supporting minister (SSM) in the synod and currently interim moderator of Robert Stewart Memorial United Reformed Church, Wingrove Road, Newcastle upon Tyne. (SSMs were previously known as NSMs, non-stipendiary ministers.)