Awards for 2012 were announced and presentations made to winners at the AGM in Kirton in Lindsey on 15 June.

The Flora Murray Award was given to the Sir Joseph Banks Society for the musical play "Joseph and his Amazing Dreamboat".  This enterprising production, giving an amusing and informative account of Banks's travels, is written by Alan Meadows and has been performed by the Young Stagers at the Red Lion Theatre, Horncastle. It will be wide interest to youth theatre groups.

A video recording of a performance was played to the SLHA audience.  A certificate and cheque marking the award was received by Dr Cheryle Berry, Chairman of the Sir Joseph Banks Society.

An SLHA Award for Excellence was made to Sally Badham and Paul Cockerham, editors and contributors to the outstanding book: The Beste and Fayrest of al Lincolnshire: The Church of St Botolph, Boston, Lincolnshire, and its Medieval Monuments.  The award was presented to Paul at the meeting.

An SLHA Award for Excellence was also made for the restoration of Chain Bridge Forge, Spalding.  Geoff Taylor of the Friends of Chain Bridge Forge, active in achieving the restoration and setting up a long-term business plan, received the award.

On Sunday 19th May the SLHA took a bookstall and PowerPoint display to the Heritage Fair in Stamford's Arts Centre.

This was a very well-attended event with some 20 stalls representing different heritage interests drawn from a wide area.

Public attendance was high and it was a real pleasure to explain the work of the SLHA to many out-of-county visitors who were holidaying in the area in addition to Stamfordians. It was an enjoyable day for all.

Grimsby Ice Factory, which commenced production in 1901, provided the crushed ice which was required to preserve the catch in Grimsby trawlers during their lengthy journey back from the fishing grounds of the North Sea. More ice was then needed to pack the fish for its rail journey, for Grimsby fish was widely distributed around Britain.

There is no doubt that the success of the fishing fleet, making Grimsby the world's premier fishing port, was  helped by the plentiful supply of ice. Today, whilst the fishing industry has shrunk dramatically, much of modern Grimsby can be traced back to that industry.

The Ice Factory has stood empty and vandalised for many years. Listed by English Heritage as Grade II*, and on their "At Risk" register, the huge building still contains most of its plant.

The SLHA has been concerned about the future of this iconic building for many years and supported the formation of the Great Grimsby Ice Factory Trust (www.ggift.co.uk) in July 2010.

Since then the Trust has achieved remarkable success, securing the attention of the Prince's Regeneration Trust, the Victorian Society and the Architectural Heritage Fund, amongst others. Over £18000 has been raised to fund an Options Appraisal which analyses proposed uses for the building put forward by the community.

This report will be presented to the public for comment at an event to be held at Grimsby Town Hall on 1 March (details on the Great GIFT website) and the SLHA is delighted to support this initiative.

See further information about the Ice Factory.

The Ice Factory is the subject of an illustrated talk by Chris Lester on Wednesday 20 February, at 7.30 pm at St Hugh's Hall, Monks Road, Lincoln.

A wheelwright's tyre oven and workshop at 45 Foundry Street, Horncastle, has just been awarded Grade II listing by English Heritage.  The oven is one of very few structures of this type which survive in the UK, and it is currently in good condition.  It was used for heating wrought iron tyres (or hoops) before they were fitted on wooden wagon, cart or barrow wheels.

In 2011 it was photographed and measured by an SLHA group, and a report was subsequently published in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, Volume 45 (2010).  The listing came as a result of an application promoted by SLHA.