School extension and cottage pick up awards
(From The Orcadian dated November 8, 2001)

Hebden Cottage in Eday, the renovation of which was described by Mr and Mrs Heddle as “a sheer delight”. The house, the Heddles explained, was little more than a shell, with no windows or roof before restoration began. Work on the house was completed in May of last year.

After an absence of one year, Orkney Heritage Trust’s Laura Grimond Awards – which recognise outstanding building and renovation work in Orkney buildings – have been announced this week.

Hebden Cottage in Eday, and the Nursery at Papdale Primary School have taken the top spots this year for the quality and appearance of their exteriors.

Six judges – architects, Leslie Burgher and May Banks; OIC Planning Officer, Richard Welsh; along with Orkney Heritage Society members, Magnus Grimond, Sandy Firth and Ian Heddle looked at a variety of building projects throughout Orkney, and those which most appealed to all six were chosen to receive award certificates.

Thirteen building projects, including four from Westray, were entered into the award scheme, which, Ian Heddle explained, was not a competition, but aimed at encouraging good quality and sympathetic building work, whatever the project, or its budget.

“There are no winners or losers,” he added.

Mr Heddle and his wife visited each of the 13 sites, accompanied by other judges where possible, and took both video footage and still photographs of the work they witnessed, to show to the panel of judges. Only the exterior of the buildings were examined, and all entries were certified either Commended, Highly Commended or Award.

The results of the Laura Grimond awards 2001, in the order in which they were visited, are:

• St Ann’s Kirk, Papa Westray – Commended
• Höfn Youth Centre, Pierowall, Westray – Highly Commended
• Workshop Units, Pierowall, Westray – Highly Commended
• The Barn, Chalmersquoy, Westray – Highly Commended
• Mosside, Cleaton, Westray – Commended
• Hebden Cottage, Eday – Award
• Craa’s Nest, Rackwick, Hoy – Highly Commended
• Nursery and Resources, Papdale School – Award
• St Magnus Centre, Kirkwall – Highly Commended
• Bowling Club Premises, St Margaret’s Hope – Commended
• New Frontage, British Legion, Kirkwall – Commended
• Howabreck, Birsay – Highly Commended
• Blue Braes, Lyde Road, Firth – Commended

The new Nursery and Resources wing of Papdale School in Kirkwall - one of two buildings picked out by judges at this year's Laura Grimond Awards

The high standard of work exhibited by all of the entries was praised by the judges: “Every entry showed the desire of the owner to leave something of merit for all the work involved. We hope our judgement will be rated as fair, as we had to choose between very large variations in scale and budget.”