Branch Awards
Institute Awards
The Institute presents the following three 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: Framed certificate.
Eligibility: Any individual Institute member.
Nomination arrangements: Branches to nominate. Contributions to the Branch and other Institute activities should be described.
Committee: MQ&E.
2020 winner: Dr Mike Farley BSc PhD FInstNDT FInstEnergy
The Tony Lager Award for 2020 is awarded to Dr Mike Farley BSc PhD FInstNDT FInstEnergy.
Mike Farley’s non-destructive testing (NDT) career started as a result of his attending a meeting of the North East Branch of the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT), where a timely encounter with Russ Lumb led to a successful application to join the British Gas Engineering Research Station and put his knowledge of ultrasonics to good use.
He joined Babcock and Wilcox (later Doosan Babcock) in 1975 and attended his first meeting of the Scottish Branch of BINDT in September that year. He was quickly co-opted onto the Branch committee and has remained an active member ever since. This was alongside his professional career, in which he progressed to Director of Technology for Doosan Babcock, and his Institute career, which included Chair of the Technical Committee, Technical Programme Manager for the 4th European Conference in 1987, President of the Institute, Chair of the PCN Advisory Board, President of the European Federation for Non-Destructive Testing (EFNDT) and General Secretary then Chair of the International Committee for Non-Destructive Testing (ICNDT).
As a member of Council he has always looked to support the Institute Branches and the grass-roots members. He remains proud of persuading the Institute to hold its annual conference in Glasgow in 1985 and of the ‘national’ events that have been organised by the Scottish Branch each January, alongside its annual Burns Supper.
He is certain that the experience he gained through his Institute activities at all levels was excellent training for his day job and especially useful when he was appointed Director for Technology Policy Liaison and given responsibility for the company’s government relations with Scottish, British and European institutions.
Mike retired from full-time employment in 2011 but continued as a consultant for six years. Nowadays, his professional experience is put to good use by BINDT, ICNDT and the local Rotary Club, where he has just taken on the job of President for the second time.
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
A nomination form can be downloaded here.
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, for some years the T H Cole Award has been presented annually to the Institute Branch with the best percentage increase in membership during the preceding year.
Purpose: For the Institute Branch with the best percentage increase in membership during the preceding year.
Details of award: Gavel and engraved block held for one year. Also a framed certificate.
Eligibility: All Institute Branches automatically qualify.
Nomination arrangements: Automatic.
Committee: MQ&E.
2020 winner: East Midlands Branch
The winner of the T H Cole Award for 2020 is the East Midlands Branch with a 2.77% increase in individual membership over the year.
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
About the award: The Branch Service Award was set up in 2014 and
can be awarded by a BINDT Branch to a Branch member at any time during
the year. The Award is for outstanding contribution to an Institute Branch and
is awarded in the form of a framed certificate.
Purpose: For outstanding contribution to an Institute Branch.
Details of award: Framed certificate.
Eligibility: Any Branch member who has made a significant contribution to their Branch.
Nomination arrangements: Branches to nominate. Citation to be submitted to the Secretariat and ratified by the Croxson Committee.
The Branch Service Award was not awarded in 2021.
Past recipients of the award:
Details of all Institute awards can be found here.
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: Framed certificate.
Eligibility: Any individual Institute member.
Nomination arrangements: Branches to nominate. Contributions to the Branch and other Institute activities should be described.
Committee: MQ&E.
Past winners
2020 winner: Dr Mike Farley BSc PhD FInstNDT FInstEnergyThe Tony Lager Award for 2020 is awarded to Dr Mike Farley BSc PhD FInstNDT FInstEnergy.
Mike Farley’s non-destructive testing (NDT) career started as a result of his attending a meeting of the North East Branch of the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT), where a timely encounter with Russ Lumb led to a successful application to join the British Gas Engineering Research Station and put his knowledge of ultrasonics to good use.
He joined Babcock and Wilcox (later Doosan Babcock) in 1975 and attended his first meeting of the Scottish Branch of BINDT in September that year. He was quickly co-opted onto the Branch committee and has remained an active member ever since. This was alongside his professional career, in which he progressed to Director of Technology for Doosan Babcock, and his Institute career, which included Chair of the Technical Committee, Technical Programme Manager for the 4th European Conference in 1987, President of the Institute, Chair of the PCN Advisory Board, President of the European Federation for Non-Destructive Testing (EFNDT) and General Secretary then Chair of the International Committee for Non-Destructive Testing (ICNDT).
As a member of Council he has always looked to support the Institute Branches and the grass-roots members. He remains proud of persuading the Institute to hold its annual conference in Glasgow in 1985 and of the ‘national’ events that have been organised by the Scottish Branch each January, alongside its annual Burns Supper.
He is certain that the experience he gained through his Institute activities at all levels was excellent training for his day job and especially useful when he was appointed Director for Technology Policy Liaison and given responsibility for the company’s government relations with Scottish, British and European institutions.
Mike retired from full-time employment in 2011 but continued as a consultant for six years. Nowadays, his professional experience is put to good use by BINDT, ICNDT and the local Rotary Club, where he has just taken on the job of President for the second time.
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
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, for some years the T H Cole Award has been presented annually to the Institute Branch with the best percentage increase in membership during the preceding year.Purpose: For the Institute Branch with the best percentage increase in membership during the preceding year.
Details of award: Gavel and engraved block held for one year. Also a framed certificate.
Eligibility: All Institute Branches automatically qualify.
Nomination arrangements: Automatic.
Committee: MQ&E.
Past winners
2020 winner: East Midlands BranchPast winners
The winner of the T H Cole Award for 2020 is the East Midlands Branch with a 2.77% increase in individual membership over the year.
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
Branch Service Award
Award information
About the award: The Branch Service Award was set up in 2014 and
can be awarded by a BINDT Branch to a Branch member at any time during
the year. The Award is for outstanding contribution to an Institute Branch and
is awarded in the form of a framed certificate.Purpose: For outstanding contribution to an Institute Branch.
Details of award: Framed certificate.
Eligibility: Any Branch member who has made a significant contribution to their Branch.
Nomination arrangements: Branches to nominate. Citation to be submitted to the Secretariat and ratified by the Croxson Committee.
Committee: Croxson
Past winners
The Branch Service Award was not awarded in 2021.
Past recipients of the award:
| 2014 | Bob Naylor | West Midlands Branch |
| Paul Holt | West Midlands Branch | |
| Peter Stephens | West Midlands Branch | |
| 2015 | Steve Barton | East Midlands Branch |
Details of all Institute awards can be found here.
