This is the first time a voluntary group has ever been short-listed and a first for all the partners. We were up against competition from some of the UK’s largest companies. We were also the only entry in the category with a project not focused on streets.

Judges citation: ‘Led entirely by the community this totally collaborative approach shows local cooperation on a new level.’

On behalf of the Seven Dials Trust, our chairman, David Bieda, extends special thanks to Westminster City Council's Dave Franks; London Borough of Camden's Jim Thornhill; Neil Arnold (formerly London Borough of Camden); John Burke (formerly Corporation of London) and to all the partners for their commitment over many years.

David also thanked Cllr Robert Davis, Cllr Sue Vincent and Martin Low for facilitating this unusual cross border partnership. Last but not least, a very special thank you goes to Seven Dials Trust trustee Paul Draper who designed both the lantern and bracket arm.

‘This has been a brilliant example of partnership working between the voluntary, statutory and business sectors. We have all learnt a great deal from our technical colleagues,’ said David.

The Project/partnership funders: London Borough of Camden, City of Westminster, English Heritage (Historic England), Shaftesbury PLC and the Seven Dials Trust, which led the partnership.

At the table from the bottom going right: trustees Janet Cole-Brooman and Jamal Uddin, Dave Franks Public Lighting Manager Westminster City Council and trustees Mark Read and Paul Draper. Photo credit: Patrick White (Apollo Photographers), sponsored by Jamal Uddin.

Top L: Trustees David Bieda and Paul Draper at the Lefebvre factory in France; Top R and Bottom L: Paul’s ‘Lamb & Flag’ survey & acroteria drawings; Bottom R: John Burke’s seminal talk on ‘pot optics v. sugar bowls’.

Top L: Partnership members on a tour of façade lighting in three London boroughs; Top R: Trustees beneath the successful V2 lantern; Bottom L: Drawings of V3 with ‘sugar bowl’; Bottom R: Officers from Camden, Westminster and the Corporation of London, and trustees reviewing the V3 prototype.

Read more about our Lighting Project...