12.7.21. Gorsedh Kernow announces the Adult Awards winners 2021.
The Grand Bard, Elizabeth Carne, and the Gorsedh Kernow Awards panel are pleased to announce this year’s winners of the prestigious Awen medal, together with a number of named awards, for outstanding achievement. Medal winners, who have all been nominated by others, are honoured for promoting the Celtic spirit of Cornwall through exceptional creative or community work. This year also sees the launch of a new Certificate of Recognition designed to encourage new work in a range of categories. It is hoped this recognition scheme, open to all, will become a quality mark for new creative work that celebrates the Celtic spirit of Cornwall.
The Grand Bard, Elizabeth Carne said ‘We are delighted to be honouring those who have made outstanding contributions to Cornish culture and our communities. It is particularly pleasing this year to also be launching our Certificate of Recognition, to celebrate new work by both established and emerging figures in Cornish creative and cultural life.’
Awen medals for Creativity are presented to individuals or groups for a body of work that is outstanding in its celebration of the Celtic spirit of Cornwall. Community award winners have all been nominated in recognition of outstanding work in sustaining the Celtic spirit of Cornwall in their communities, from protecting and promoting local heritage to encouraging greater use of the Cornish language.
A number of named awards are presented in honour of individuals (as detailed below) for specific achievements and contributions. These include the Mab Hirnans Award, in memory of Stephen Gainey, for outstanding contribution to the Cornish language, which this year goes to Dr Loveday Jenkin and the Grand Bard’s award which will be presented to Pat Parry for her important contribution to Gorsedh Kernow. Unusually, this year two named awards, the Mike Hartland and the Lowender Peran have been awarded to the same project: Daniel Woodfield’s Kernow Bedroom Choir, which allowed individuals isolated by Covid restrictions to sing in an online choir, impressed our adjudicators as a fine way of bringing people together to celebrate Cornwall in song. The awards also include the London Cornish Association Shield and Paul Smales Award in recognition of work beyond Cornwall, presented this year to Gillian Penny of Milton Keynes and Robynne Sanderson of Broken Hill Australia.
Medal winners will be presented with a prestigious Awen medal, made in Cornwall by St Justin Jewellery (please see photograph). This unique medal depicts the Gorsedh Kernow ‘Awen’ (Inspiration) symbol, a three-rayed Celtic design signifying Furneth (Wisdom), Gwir (Truth) and Kerensa (Love). Successful applicants for the new Gorsedh Kernow Certificate of Recognition will receive a specially designed certificate.
If social distancing restrictions allow, medals will be presented at the Gorsedh Kernow Esedhvos festival of culture, that takes place in September. Information on the awards will also be available online on the Gorsedh Kernow website: www.gorsedhkernow.org.uk.
List of all award winners:
Grand Bard’s Award for outstanding contribution:
Pat Parry
Mab Hirnans/ Stephen Gainey Award for outstanding and distinguished services to the Cornish Language:
Dr Loveday Jenkin
Glenda Hartland Award. These two awards, in memory of Glenda Hartland, seek to promote active community involvement in Cornish cultural tradition:
Anna Murphy for Keep the Feast
Simon Harvey and Jack Morrison for Miracles and Mysteries
Mike Hartland Award. This award recognises the importance of traditional music, singing and dance and sport in maintaining Cornwall’s distinctive Celtic identity:
Daniel Woodfield for Kernow Bedroom choir.
Lowender Peran Award for distinguished performers or performance that provide a connection between Cornish culture and that of the other Celtic Nations:
Daniel Woodfield for Kernow Bedroom choir.
London Cornish Shield for outstanding services to Cornwall and Cornish People:
Gillian Penny
Pewas Map Trevethan/Paul Smales Award for outstanding contribution to Cornwall by someone not resident in Cornwall:
Robynne Sanderson
Awen Medal for Awenekter/ Creativity:
Rogue Theatre
Dr Chris Nancollas for Reflections on Cornwall: This Fishing Life (Open Submission awarded discretionary Awen medal)
Awen Medal for Kemeneth/ Community:
Blanchminster Trust
Michael Bunney
Rev. Canon Jane Kneebone
Anne Pascoe
Kathy Wallis
Testskrif a Aswonvos/ Certificate of Recognition.
Awenekter/ Creativity:
Cornwall Music Trust teachers for ‘Cornwall My Home’ project
Seamas Carey for Pagan Pandemonium
Will Keating for John Harris Bicentenary project
Golden Tree for WJEC Kernewek Nivel Entrans
Liskeard Town Council for Kana Nadelik
Andrew Pool for Peter Pool website
Taran Spalding-Jenkin for A Shanty for Cornish Youth
Skrif kernewek/ Writing in the Cornish language:
Sam Brown for A Gerdh yn Koswik Reskoradek
Lianne Wilson for Pyth eus hwarvedhys dhedhi?
Studhyansow kernewek/ Cornish Study:
John Jenkin for A Short History of St Sampson’s School
Owen Trembath for Australia Connections