Lindsey Richards FRTPI is RTPI President 2024
Last month I attended the Awards for Planning Excellence 2024. It was a huge glittering event with no less than 15 awards in the different categories covering Plans, Projects and People and the presentation of the Silver Jubilee Cup to the overall winner. The Awards categories include Excellence in Plan Making, Health and Wellbeing, Planning for Communities and of course Young Planner of the Year, Planning Authority of the Year and Inspirational Leader. There was much to celebrate and these Awards, together with the Awards for Research Excellence which took place in September at Reading University, are the culmination of your nominations, hours of reading submissions by our volunteers, rigorous short listing and the final judging to award commendations and a winner.
If you haven’t seen the submissions that were short listed, commended and the winners for each category, it makes a good read. When it all comes together it’s a cause for celebration of what we achieve collectively as a profession.
The winners from the Awards for Planning Excellence 2024 celebrate on the night
Does that make us all winners?
It goes without saying that the Awards are a huge team effort, and we know that planning excellence doesn’t just sit with us as planning professionals but extends to our wider network, be that the support network within a Local Authority, a consultancy or within our planning schools, and it’s no different here at the RTPI.
So firstly a massive thank you to our Regional Co-ordinators and National Directors who start the process locally, ably assisted by a body of volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise to the judging process, including participating in interviews and numerous site visits. And secondly to the RTPI National Teams, including Events, Comms, Research and Policy, who support and co-ordinate both National Awards to ensure we can all sit back and enjoy the event. Its relentless but hugely appreciated and an opportunity to share expertise, excellence and good practice. With the National Awards just behind us the whole process starts again with entries opening in January.
Finally, its that time of year when many look forward to a break and some family time and others will take the opportunity to look back and reflect on the year that has passed. While I know many of you have celebrated success and personal achievements, for some 2024 will have brought sorrow and pain. I’m sorry to say it’s not always a Happy Christmas for some, but I wish you comfort and peace and a positive 2025.
