The Rochester Bridge Trust has been shortlisted in two Kent awards schemes. The inaugural Kent Digital Awards celebrate endeavours in the virtual world, while the Kent Excellence in Business Awards (KEiBA) are judged according to the management and organisational achievements of the entrants.
For the Kent Digital Awards the Trust’s websites have been shortlisted twice: www.www.rbt.org.uk, the Trust’s main website which includes pages about the history of Rochester’s river crossings, in the Tourism and Hospitality category; and www.rochesterbridge.org.uk, the Trust’s website dedicated to supporting engineering education, in the School, Education or Charity category.
Bridge Clerk Sue Threader explained: “While the bridges are our priority, it is good to see our efforts in other areas being recognised. In particular, we understand the importance of catching the imagination of tomorrow’s engineers while they are still young and so our education website, supported by mascot Langdon the Lion, is a good way for us to engage.”
In the KEiBAs, the Trust has been named as a finalist in the land-based business category. The maintenance and repair of Rochester Bridge are funded by income generated from a varied estate portfolio, which includes a range of farmland and other property.
Mrs Threader continued: “It may seem unusual for a bridge trust to be shortlisted for land-based business, but our estate has to be carefully managed to support our long-term plans. We are pleased to see this work recognised.”
The winners of the Kent Digital Awards will be announced at an event on 18th June. The KEiBA presentation evening will follow on 25th June.
Mrs Threader added: “We are pleased to be shortlisted for all these awards but are aware we are up against some very worthy competitors. The best of luck to everyone involved – we look forward to finding out which of us is victorious soon.”
Last year, the Trust made it through to the finals of the 2014 Charity of the Year award.
Notes:
1. The Rochester Bridge Trust is a charitable trust that exists to maintain the old and new bridges at Rochester and serve the travelling public. It is the only surviving bridge trust still serving its original purpose, and it has served the people of Kent since 1399. The Trust also supports numerous community and education projects across historic Kent and Medway.
2. The Trust’s assets all derive from endowments of land and money in the 14th and 15th centuries and are carefully managed in order to provide an income to fund bridge maintenance and local charitable grants. The Trust receives no external funding and is regulated by the Charity Commission.
For more information:
Kent Excellence in Business Awards
The Rochester Bridge Trust
5 Esplanade
Rochester
Kent ME1 1QE
Tel: 01634 846706
Fax: 01634 840125