Its the eve of the big night– an intro to The Herbie Special Award for 2012

We’ve been dishing out our coveted awards since 2007, and the over the years the prestige of this glittering occasion has grown from humble beginnings to the premier event it is today.    Each year, we have offered our recognition to deserving persons  by granting them our Herbie Award (value £0.0).  Many a tearful speech has been delivered from the virtual podium, thanking the recipients Mum and Dad and their producer /coach /team mates etc. 

It all started in 2007 when we gave Rick ,(the one with the beard),

an award for Best Guest Crew Member and who gave a truly emotional acceptance speech worthy of the Oscars.

followed in 2008 by his other half Marilyn , (the one without the beard above), who got our first proper citation -  “For Forebearance” in recognition of how hard it must be putting up with us. 

In 2009 the Award went to David “Rainman” Allum (ooh look another beard.  Is a pattern developing here?)

who crewed for us in what seemed like perpetual rain but kept smiling.

Then in 2010 we moved into new Award territory.  We gave a Premier Award to the bunch of wonderful people who we termed the “Paintfest Crew”.  This gang of unlikely looking characters gave up swathes of their valuable time and effort in the mammoth drive to preps and repaint Herbie in 2 weeks.

It only cost us about £500 in cake, and the results of their labours are still visible today in Herbie’s excellent livery.  Keen spotters may notice that the Paintfest Crew contains three previous Award winners, plus another beard belonging to Simon.

But not only that.  2010 saw the launch of The Herbie Special Award.  This was a new category launched to celebrate our admiration for boaters who were ding something special, a tradition which is reflected in the Award this year.  That first year it went to all those long suffering souls who braved the artic conditions for weeks on end.  frozen into their liveaboard homes. Often with nowhere to empty the loo and no fresh water supplies, they stuck it out.  We chose as their representatives, the admirable Sue and Vic on No Problem

and the Award still emblazons their (and others’) blogs to this day. That year, the award bore the citation “For Fortitude”

2011 saw us grant the Award to the wonderful Richard and Sue  on Indigo Dream (seem here with Kath)

for their extraordinary generosity, not only to us, but also to others who enjoyed amazing trips on the tidal Thames.  We gave it “For Hospitality”

So this years winner has a distinguished and worthy set of predecessors.  The citation is for Social Conscience or something like that.  Someone who does good on behalf of the wider canal community.  Can anyone think of a better short phrase to express it?  You’d better hurry because the 2012 Herbie Special Award winner will be declared in my very next post.