Branch Awards
Institute Awards
The Institute presents the following Branch awards:
The Tony Lager Award
About the award: The Tony Lager Award was introduced in 1996 in honour of the late Tony Lager, who served the Institute for many years on head office and Branch committees, including Council. Tony passed away in July 1996. The award is for meritorious service to an Institute Branch by an individual.
Purpose: For meritorious service to an Institute Branch by an individual.
Details of the award: A framed certificate, £200 cash and an invitation to the NDT Annual Conference Dinner with one night's accommodation.
Eligibility: Any individual Institute member.
Nomination arrangements: Branches to nominate. Contributions to the Branch and other Institute activities should be described.
Committee: MQ&E.
The Tony Lager Award for 2025 is awarded to Tim Cresswell.
Tim started work in non-destructive testing (NDT) at the age of 19 on conventional coal-fired power stations using what was then standard testing equipment of ultrasonic testing (UT) oscilloscopes and exploding mag sets. He gained PCN certification in ultrasonics, radiography, magnetic particle inspection (MPI) and dye penetrant inspection (DPI). More technical experience and specialist in-house qualifications followed after the company won a contract to carry out maintenance NDT on all the existing nuclear power stations in the UK.
Tim went on to become site supervisor and eventually site manager on various maintenance and manufacturing sites around the country. After working for numerous NDT companies as contract manager, Tim is currently employed by Intertek NDT Services and has recently been responsible for managing and controlling a multi-million-pound major rail project for Hitachi Rail. Intertek was contracted to detect and monitor defects in aluminium body welds across a vehicle fleet.
Tim is currently managing a contract at Alstom Derby to develop and implement a high- and low-frequency eddy current procedure for inspecting new-build carriage body welds alongside a project at Alstom Crewe to develop an eddy current array inspection procedure for inspecting complex vehicle axles and a further contract for Caledonian Sleeper Limited to monitor defect propagation in aluminium rail vehicles.
Tim was with the team that restarted the East Midlands Branch of the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) in January 2012 after many inactive years. He was voted in as Programme Organiser and spent at least eight enjoyable years in that post.
The Tony Lager award was originally established as a prize for the Institute Branch achieving the highest number of new members in the year. This criterion was altered after 2000; until then the winners of the award were:
1995 North West
1996 Solent
1997 London and Home Counties
1998 West of England/West Midlands
1999 South Wales/West of England
2000 South Wales
Since then, the Award has been for meritorious service to an Institute Branch by an individual. The past winners are:
2002 Mr A Raine
2003 Mr P Stephens
2004 Mr J Pouncy
2012 Mr D Breeze and Mr B Webb
2013 Mr B Murray, Mr D Betts and Mr M R Dawson
2014 Mr B Shannon
2015 Mr A Hunscott
2019 Mr B Naylor
2020 Dr Mike Farley BSc PhD FInstNDT FInstEnergy
2021 Pete Burrows MInstNDT
2022 Fraser Hardie
The Tony Lager Award
Award information
About the award: The Tony Lager Award was introduced in 1996 in honour of the late Tony Lager, who served the Institute for many years on head office and Branch committees, including Council. Tony passed away in July 1996. The award is for meritorious service to an Institute Branch by an individual.Award information
Purpose: For meritorious service to an Institute Branch by an individual.
Details of the award: A framed certificate, £200 cash and an invitation to the NDT Annual Conference Dinner with one night's accommodation.
Eligibility: Any individual Institute member.
Nomination arrangements: Branches to nominate. Contributions to the Branch and other Institute activities should be described.
Committee: MQ&E.
Winners
2025 winner: Tim CresswellThe Tony Lager Award for 2025 is awarded to Tim Cresswell.
Tim started work in non-destructive testing (NDT) at the age of 19 on conventional coal-fired power stations using what was then standard testing equipment of ultrasonic testing (UT) oscilloscopes and exploding mag sets. He gained PCN certification in ultrasonics, radiography, magnetic particle inspection (MPI) and dye penetrant inspection (DPI). More technical experience and specialist in-house qualifications followed after the company won a contract to carry out maintenance NDT on all the existing nuclear power stations in the UK.
Tim went on to become site supervisor and eventually site manager on various maintenance and manufacturing sites around the country. After working for numerous NDT companies as contract manager, Tim is currently employed by Intertek NDT Services and has recently been responsible for managing and controlling a multi-million-pound major rail project for Hitachi Rail. Intertek was contracted to detect and monitor defects in aluminium body welds across a vehicle fleet.
Tim is currently managing a contract at Alstom Derby to develop and implement a high- and low-frequency eddy current procedure for inspecting new-build carriage body welds alongside a project at Alstom Crewe to develop an eddy current array inspection procedure for inspecting complex vehicle axles and a further contract for Caledonian Sleeper Limited to monitor defect propagation in aluminium rail vehicles.
Tim was with the team that restarted the East Midlands Branch of the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) in January 2012 after many inactive years. He was voted in as Programme Organiser and spent at least eight enjoyable years in that post.
The Tony Lager award was originally established as a prize for the Institute Branch achieving the highest number of new members in the year. This criterion was altered after 2000; until then the winners of the award were:
1995 North West
1996 Solent
1997 London and Home Counties
1998 West of England/West Midlands
1999 South Wales/West of England
2000 South Wales
Since then, the Award has been for meritorious service to an Institute Branch by an individual. The past winners are:
2002 Mr A Raine
2003 Mr P Stephens
2004 Mr J Pouncy
2012 Mr D Breeze and Mr B Webb
2013 Mr B Murray, Mr D Betts and Mr M R Dawson
2014 Mr B Shannon
2015 Mr A Hunscott
2019 Mr B Naylor
2020 Dr Mike Farley BSc PhD FInstNDT FInstEnergy
2021 Pete Burrows MInstNDT
2022 Fraser Hardie
2023 Raymond J R Wilson
2024 Bill Brown
The T H Cole Award
About the award: Much of the collective strength of the Institute derives from Branch activity and Branches can be quite influential in demonstrating the value of Institute membership. In recognition of this, the T H Cole Award has is presented annually to the Institute Branch demonstrating the most outstanding overall performance during the calendar year.
Purpose: For the Institute Branch demonstrating the most outstanding overall performance during the calendar year. Rather than focusing solely on membership growth, this revised award now recognises broader Branch impact and activity. This change reflects the value of quality, engagement and innovation across all areas of Branch life.
Details of award: A gavel and block, a framed certificate, a £200 cash contribution towards a celebratory Branch meal and an invitation to the NDT Annual Conference Dinner with one night’s accommodation.
Eligibility: All Institute Branches automatically qualify.
Nomination arrangements: Branches are invited to submit a citation outlining their activities and achievements for the year. The Branches Committee will review and judge the submissions before selecting the winning Branch based on merit.
Committee: Branches Committee.
The T H Cole Award was not awarded in 2025.
Recent holders of the T H Cole Award are:
1981 East Anglia
1982 Yorkshire
1983 Yorkshire
1984 South Wales
1985 East Anglia
1986 East Anglia
1987 West of England
1988 East Midlands
1989 Scottish
1990 North East
1991 South Wales
1992 Plymouth
1993 North West
1994 Yorkshire
1995 Plymouth
1996 North East Scotland
1997 West of England
1998 Plymouth
1999 South Wales
2000 No Award
2001 North West
2002 North West
2003 Overseas
2004 East Midlands
2005 Scottish
2006 East Midlands
2007 East Anglia
2008 South Wales
2009 North East
2010 Yorkshire
2011 West of England
2012 North America
2013 South Wales
2014 North America
2015 North America
2016 West Midlands Branch
2017 No award
2018 North East Scottish
2019 North American Branch
2020 East Midlands Branch
2021 North American Branch
2022 Early Careers Branch
A nomination form can be downloaded here.
The T H Cole Award
Award information
About the award: Much of the collective strength of the Institute derives from Branch activity and Branches can be quite influential in demonstrating the value of Institute membership. In recognition of this, the T H Cole Award has is presented annually to the Institute Branch demonstrating the most outstanding overall performance during the calendar year.Purpose: For the Institute Branch demonstrating the most outstanding overall performance during the calendar year. Rather than focusing solely on membership growth, this revised award now recognises broader Branch impact and activity. This change reflects the value of quality, engagement and innovation across all areas of Branch life.
Details of award: A gavel and block, a framed certificate, a £200 cash contribution towards a celebratory Branch meal and an invitation to the NDT Annual Conference Dinner with one night’s accommodation.
Eligibility: All Institute Branches automatically qualify.
Nomination arrangements: Branches are invited to submit a citation outlining their activities and achievements for the year. The Branches Committee will review and judge the submissions before selecting the winning Branch based on merit.
Committee: Branches Committee.
Winners
The T H Cole Award was not awarded in 2025. Winners
Recent holders of the T H Cole Award are:
1980 South Wales
1981 East Anglia
1982 Yorkshire
1983 Yorkshire
1984 South Wales
1985 East Anglia
1986 East Anglia
1987 West of England
1988 East Midlands
1989 Scottish
1990 North East
1991 South Wales
1992 Plymouth
1993 North West
1994 Yorkshire
1995 Plymouth
1996 North East Scotland
1997 West of England
1998 Plymouth
1999 South Wales
2000 No Award
2001 North West
2002 North West
2003 Overseas
2004 East Midlands
2005 Scottish
2006 East Midlands
2007 East Anglia
2008 South Wales
2009 North East
2010 Yorkshire
2011 West of England
2012 North America
2013 South Wales
2014 North America
2015 North America
2016 West Midlands Branch
2017 No award
2018 North East Scottish
2019 North American Branch
2020 East Midlands Branch
2021 North American Branch
2022 Early Careers Branch
2023 East Midlands Branch
