Champing wins at Hudson’s Heritage Awards
The Churches Conservation Trust’s pioneering Champing™ - church camping - adventures yesterday (1st March) received the Special Judge’s Award for Best Accommodation at the 2016 Hudson’s Heritage Awards.
Champing™ offers the chance to spend a night in one of ten Grade I and II* listed English churches, including sleeping under the carved angels at The Church of St Michael and All Angels in Booton, Norfolk, revelling in the Medieval simplicity of All Saints' Church in Aldwincle, Northamptonshire, or bedding down in a box pew at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Fordwich, Kent.
Established in 2011, the Hudson’s Heritage Awards are an independently judged, annual, national scheme open to historic houses, gardens, museums and heritage sites and celebrate the very best visitor experiences.
The CCT’s Peter Aiers and Chana James collected the award from distinguished architectural historian Dan Cruickshank at a special ceremony at Goldsmiths Hall in Central London (pictured above, photograph © Hudson's Heritage), in the company of invited guests from some of the country’s premier heritage attractions.
Champing™ breaks costs £55 per person per night, including breakfast (£20 for children under 16 and £50 per person for groups of over 8 people). Guests have the building to themselves for a peaceful night’s sleep interrupted only by the sounds of the natural world, and time to explore the beauty of the surrounding countryside at their own pace by day. Alongside the standard champing break, CCT can also suggest activities to complement stays, including leisurely walks, canoeing adventures, storytelling and yoga.
Crispin Truman, Chief Executive of The Churches Conservation Trust said: "We are delighted that Champing™ has been presented with a 2015 Hudson’s Heritage Award. Our in-church-camping breaks have already seized the imagination of hundreds of champers around the country and the bookings are flying in for the 2016 season. I urge all potential champers to visit champing.co.uk today to book their break and avoid missing out on this award-winning experience.”
Sarah Greenwood, publisher of Hudson’s Historic Houses & Gardens said “We are thrilled to reveal the winners of Hudson’s Heritage Awards today. The judges have been impressed by the standards of innovation and the range of visitor experiences this year. From great food to original loos, visitors to today’s heritage sites can expect more than just history and beauty on a day out, though there is always plenty of both!”
The awards lunch was hosted by an independent judging panel of heritage experts including Chairman Norman Hudson OBE, heritage consultant; Lucinda Lambton, writer and broadcaster; Jeremy Musson, architectural writer; Simon Foster, consultant to Channel 4’s Country House Rescue and Ken Robinson, CBE, tourism business consultant.