The AHUK Robert Pleming Memorial Award 2026

The Robert Pleming Memorial Award (“The Award”) is presented in memory of Dr Robert Pleming (1951-2021), Executive Committee Member of AHUK 2007-2021 and Chairman 2016-2021.

Throughout his career in industry, in aviation heritage and with AHUK, Robert was renowned for his ability to solve seemingly intractable problems through innovative thinking and determined action, and this Award seeks to recognise those in aviation heritage who use these qualities to deliver exceptional projects.

The Criteria for the Award are as follows:

• The Award will be known as the AHUK Robert Pleming Memorial Award
• The Award will consist of a trophy to be held by the winner for one year, for public display with, or close to, the project for which the winner has been recognised; together with a cash prize of £500 and a miniature award to be retained by the winner;
• Only one Award may be made for any one year, subject to the provision that should an Award not be made in a particular year, exceptionally two Awards may be made in the subsequent year;
• The Award is intended to recognise personal achievement, and the recipient would normally be a person who either individually, or as the named leader of a team, has completed a project or significant identifiable element of a wider project within the 12 months for which the Award is being made. Exceptionally, the Award could be made to a team who have jointly managed and delivered a commendable project;
• The Award should be for work undertaken for or on behalf of an organisation or private collection in either a voluntary capacity or as a paid staff member of that organisation, but not as a commercial supplier or contractor to the organisation;
• In each calendar year AHUK will call for entries, which may be made by individuals applying or by nomination, but in all cases the entry must be made on the entry form which can be downloaded from here - Robert Pleming Memorial Award Entry;
• Judging for the Award will be carried out by the Executive Committee of AHUK or judges appointed by the Committee;
• Priority in judging will be given to entrants who demonstrate genuine innovation in the preservation or promotion of aviation heritage in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland: this is not an award for lifetime achievement or general good works, which are suitably recognised through other AHUK awards. The innovation being recognised may be, but not be limited to, technical, procedural or organisational advances.

• Closing date for nominations is 31st August 2026.
• The award will be presented at the Avro Heritage Museum on the 24th October 2026