George Pepler International Award

2012 winner - Lorayne Woodend

We are pleased to announce that Lorayne Woodend has been granted the George Pepler International Award for 2012. Lorayne, a Development Plans Officer at South Lakeland District Council, will be travelling to Japan to study the spatial planning concept of machizukuri (community building).

Lorayne’s award was presented to her by RTPI President Colin Haylock at the 17 October 2012 meeting of RTPI’s General Assembly.

Winning the award and heading to Japan is a ‘dream come true’ for Woodend in a trip that will see her combine her love of planning and the Far East. “I am absolutely thrilled! It feels like it is the culmination of having just completed my 3-year distance learning MA in Town and Country Planning, which really fuelled my interest in planning as an international topic, along with the influence of my keen interest in Japan, Japanese culture, learning from and understanding other countries and community involvement.”

The Award

The George Pepler International Award is a bursary granted biennially to a person under the age of 30 who wishes to undertake a short period of study (3 - 4 weeks) on a particular aspect of spatial planning. It is open to candidates living in the UK who wish to visit another country and to overseas candidates wishing to spend some time in the UK. The award is not confined to members or students of the RTPI and was last granted in 2012. Details of previous winners.

Applicants are required to provide a statement describing the nature of the study that they wish to undertake together with an itinerary. Submissions are to be 2 pages long.

The Institute will nominate three judges and the successful candidate will be awarded a sum of £1,500 which will be paid in two instalments, two-thirds being paid before the visit and the balance after the visit and on submission of a report.

 The George Pepler International Award will next be run in 2014. Please send any queries to awards@rtpi.org.uk