The Giles Barker Award

Giles Barker lost his life while caving in Spain in 1992. An accomplished cave photographer, Giles was a member of the Red Rose CPC and Morgannwg CC. These clubs have annually, since 1993, presented the Giles Barker Award in his memory. This prestigious award is presented to a person connected with any aspect of cave photography in recognition of his or her excellence and contributions to the field.

The Giles Barker Award 2009

For 2009, the Giles Barker Award was presented to a photographer whose published work has surely been seen by all caversat some point, whether in a book or magazine or, commonly, as an original b&w print handed around at a club meeting. His work over many decades has demonstrated his abilities and he is widely respected in the caving community, often being invited to photograph new discoveries, always to a high standard. Clive Westlake is therefore an eminently suitable recipient of the 2209 award, a hand crafted statue of a cave photographer made by Caris Jones and funded by Giles's old clubs, presented at Hidden Earth 2009

The Giles Barker Award 2008 In 2008 the award goes to Paul "Footleg"Fretwell for the encouragement he has given to cave photographers over many years, through lectures and workshops on techniques to helping to run the Hidden Earth photo salon. In this he won the British Newcomer Award in 1999 and since then has produced an increasingly high quality of underground photographs and has begun working with inspirational audio-visual presentations. The award, a hand-crafted statue of a cave photographer, made by Ceris Jones and funded by Giles' old clubs, was presented at Hidden Earth 2008

The Giles Barker Award 2007

The 2007 Giles Barker Award was won by Ron Bliss for his lifetime spent producing fine pictures underground, taking him through changes in technology and culminating in his preparing a slideshow showing the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales caves that he loved, and pressing home a strong conservation message - there can be no stronger use of photography than this. This is the first time the award has been made posthumously as Ron unfortunately died shortly before the first public showing of his final work. The award (a hand-crafted statue of a cave photographer, made by Ceris Jones) was accepted on his behalf by a representative of Ron's club, the Red Rose.

The Giles Barker Award 2006

Maurice Hewins has, for many years, worked to preserve and document our heritage of caving films, both old and modern. In this, Maurice has collected data on the photographers and their productions, recording the techniques they used and the people who appeared in often obscure films. Most importantly, he has gathered copies, which he has lodged with Wells Museum. His work, from which future generations will benefit greatly (let alone the enjoyment the current caving community has gained), makes Maurice a very fitting recipient of the 2006 Award. He was presented with a fiurine of a cave photographer hand crafted by Ceris Jones at Hidden Earth 2006 in September.

The Giles Barker Award 2005

This year the award goes to an outstanding cave photographer who has embraced the latest in technological advances and shoots solely using a digital SLR camera. Always willing to learn, his dedication to producing the results he desires is extraordinary and over the past twelve months the outcome has wowed his viewers. His pictures have been printed in recent editions of Descent magazine and have drawn many admiring comments, as well as winning the delegate ballot at Hidden Earth 2005. Choosing the recipient for the 2005 award was a very easy task, so much did Robbie Shone's work stand out with his subtle use of lighting. Congratulations to Robbie, who was presented with a figurine of a cave photographer, hand-crafted by Ceris Jones.

The Giles Barker Award 2004

With the 2004 presentation being made to Peter Harvey from South Wales, the award has widened its scope as Peter's photographs date back to the 1950s and '60s. Even considering the advances in cave photography since that time, his results stand up against more recent work. Peter's negatives have been scanned to a high standard and he has produced modern prints using up-to-date computer technology, some of which were on display at Hidden Earth 2004. This is a deserving award, given Peter's dedication at the time to taking the original image, and now to maximise its potential using today's printing methods. Congratulations to Peter, who was presented with a figurine of a cave photographer, hand-crafted by Ceris Jones, at Hidden Earth in October.

The Giles Barker Award 2003

Giles was often involved with teaching the sport to young people. It is particularly fitting, therefore, that the 2003 award goes to a film-maker who has produced three instructional caving videos (the Cave Safe series), as well as entertaining cavers worldwide with his productions of Solo which has won several international awards, and the recent dramatised account of the discovery of the caves in Fairy Cave Quarry, A Rock and a Hard Place Congratulations to Andy Sparrow for his well-deserved award.Andy was presented with a figurine of a cave photographer, hand-crafted by Ceris Jones, at Hidden Earth in October.2003

The Giles Barker Award 2002

Audio-visual sequences have become a staple part of the Hidden Earth conference. Glenn Jones began constructing sequences in 1991 and by 1996 was showing his work to cavers, progressing through different versions of his Vercors AV at successive Hidden Earth conferences and creating three of its new-format opening sequences). During this period Glenn also produced DSS The Movie and moved from two projectors to four, then to six, and by popular request has shown his AVs at many other caving events around the country. He was the winner of the newly instigated AV competition at Hidden Earth in 2001 with Caving. Congratulations go to Glenn as the recipient of the tenth Giles Barker Award in recognition of his enthusiasm and dedication both in his photography and producing AVs.

2009 R.R.C.P.C