AUSTRALIAN WINS BRITISH SIR ROLAND HILL AWARD

The prestigious Sir Roland Hill Awards are now in their seventh year and are sponsored by Royal Mail, The British Philatelic Trust and the Philatelic Traders Society. This year the awards were presented at a glittering ceremony and black tie dinner at Drapers Hall in Central London, which was previously the Palace of Oliver Cromwell. It is a spectacular venue with stately rooms displaying huge tapestries, hundreds of oil paintings, many by old masters, antique furniture and silver ware.

The evening was compered by celebrity TV Chef, Ross Burden and organized by a major events company on behalf of Royal Mail.

Well known Australian dealer, Tony Shields, of Shields Stamps & Coins, 83 Main Street Greensborough Vic 3088 (tel.03-9432 8333) was presented with an Enterprise Award for Personal Contribution. This was a once up Special Award in recognition of Tony's 25 year contribution to stamp collectors and dealers within Australia and Overseas.

This is the fourth major award won by Tony in the last 12 months, after being voted Dealer of the Year and Show Dealer of the Year by the stamp trade and being given the inaugural SPAN award by the Australian Philatelic Federation for services to National Philately. Tony is currently President of the Australasian Philatelic Traders Association, and Vice-President of 2005 Pacific Explorer International Stamp Exhibition in Melbourne.

March 2003