Criteria: For an IWA member who has, in the opinion of trustees, made an outstanding contribution in furthering the Association’s campaign.  This is the Association’s premier award.

Past Winners:

1960 J L E Smith Esq (Sir John Smith CBE)
1961 Captain Vivian Bulkeley Johnson (IWA treasurer, inland shipping)
1962 Gordon Gray (benefactor)
1963 E W H (Bill) Christie Esq (legal work)
1964 Mr & Mrs Brian Knight (Stratford-upon-Avon Canal)
1965 Clifford N Clarke (Chesterfield Canal)
1966 Leslie Morton (canal carrying)
1967 Denys Hutchings (Kennet & Avon Canal)
1968 David Tomlinson (Stourbridge Canal)
1969 Graham Palmer (voluntary work parties, led to formation of WRG)
1970 David Hutchings (Stratford-upon-Avon Canal, Upper Avon)

1996 Arthur Farrand Radley MBE (London Region waterways)
1997 Ivor Caplan (Waterways for Youth)
1998 George Andrews (Midlands waterways)
1999 Alan Jervis (WRG)
2000 Sheila Davenport (IWA Sales – support for Head Office)
2001 Tony Davis (Thames)
2002 John Burrell (legal work)
2003 (not awarded)
2004 David Stevenson (IWA national chair)
2005 Ray and Lorraine Carter (IWA treasurer and support for Head Office)
2006 (not awarded)
2007 (not awarded)
2008 Elizabeth Payne (Northampton Branch, deputy national chair)
2009 Roy Sutton (Hon Consultant Engineer)
2010 Tony Harrison (Hon Consultant Engineer)
2011 John Baylis BEM (East Midlands waterways)
2012 Dr Roger Squires BEM (Navigation Committee chair)
2013 Harry Arnold MBE (IWA Waterways magazine, vice president)
2014 (not awarded)
2015 Phil Sharpe (Lichfield Branch)
2016 Roy Chandler (Chelmsford Branch and Essex Waterways)
2017 Chard Wadley (Ipswich Branch)
2018 Audrey Smith OBE (IWA national chair and vice president)
2019 John Gale (WRG, Festivals and Chelmsford Branch)
2020 John Pomfret (inland shipping, environmental expertise)
2021 (not awarded)
2022 John Fevyer (festivals and shows support)
2023 Christine Smith (support for Canalway Cavalcade and Festival of Water)