Education award for HMS Belfast

The Sandford Award for Heritage Education is made annually and recognises quality and excellence in education services.  The award is made to any heritage property where the 'provision of the reception of school or other educational groups is deemed to met criteria laid down by The Heritage Education Trust'.  The award lasts for five years.

The judge, Eric Steed, said of HMS Belfast that its education service was an example of "history at its best, delivered enthusiastically where the described events occurred and backed by scholarship and attention to verified detail".

"We are very excited to receive this award which I believe reflects the energy and high standard of work that the staff put in to ensure that visitors and learners receive the utmost enjoyment from a visit to HMS Belfast" said Brad King, director of HMS Belfast.

HMS Belfast welcomed upwards of 52,000 educational visitors last year.  Of this number nearly 2000 came to take part in "Kip in a Ship", the ship's unique sleepover facility which allows children from schools and youth groups to stay onboard HMS Belfast in her renovated 1950s messdeck.