Cumbria Life – Lifetime Achievement Award 2009 Winner
Ann Hall was recognised with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her passionate commitment to her home village of Coniston. She has served on the Parish Council for 40 years, South Lakeland District Council and the Lake District National Park Authority. She has a lifelong involvement with the Ruskin museum and associated organisations and was instrumental in Coniston’s twinning with Illiers-Combrai, Proust’s home town, Proust being the first to translate Ruskin into French. Ann formed a Coniston in Bloom team and spearheaded Coniston’s entry for the first National Village of the Year award – Coniston won, obviously …She worked tirelessly to establish Coniston Institute into a vital social hub and has campaigned passionately, and successfully, to ensure that young people have access to affordable housing, enabling them to stay in the area – that the Prince of Wales invited her to Clarence House to discuss rural housing issues speaks volumes. Ann’s other efforts have benefited a wide range of charities from Coniston Carers, Neighbourhood Watch, NSPCC, St Mary’s Hospice, Old People’s Welfare committee and the church to raising funds to secure the future of Donald Campbell’s legendary Bluebird.