HIGHLIGHTS Rural Touring Scheme swept the board at this year's National Rural Touring Awards winning three out of a possible six awards, beating off competition from across the UK.

The awards, made during a ceremony at Worcester University, recognise achievements in the rural touring sector and celebrate the amazing people who make it happen: the promoters, volunteers, touring schemes, artists and companies. In making the awards, an independent panel of judges, made up of arts industry and rural experts, were looking for examples of excellent and dedicated practice.

The scheme received nominations in four categories, including one for Janet Wood of Shap Memorial Hall who was shortlisted for Voluntary Promoter of the Year. This award went to another Highlights promoter, Mike Greener, who promotes in a church venue (BURC) in Spittal, Northumberland. Highlights took the award for Best Touring Collaboration for its partnership with theatre company, November Club and its new musical, Beyond the End of the Road, which toured with Highlights in June 2017.

Highlights also landed the highest accolade, the NRTF Special Award for an outstanding contribution to the world of rural touring, which went to Highlights co-director Barbara Slack.

Barbara was the first director of Highlights when it started in 1997. She has grown the organisation from working with a handful of village venues in the North Pennines to programming in the region of 160 performances per year in around 65 village and community venues across Cumbria, County Durham and Northumberland.

"Working with so many volunteers, artists and colleagues who are passionate about the arts, has been a real privilege," said Barbara. "It was a great honour to receive the award."

The awards were presented by poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan, the voice behind BBC Radio 3's The Verb. The Bard of Barnsley himself had toured with Highlights in March.

The annual awards ceremony is hosted by NRTF, which represents the interests of the 33 member schemes across the country, including Highlights. It works with more than village promoters across Cumbria and a further 20 in Northumberland and 16-plus at County Durham. They work together to bring performances from national touring companies into the heart of rural communities.

Across the UK, rural touring schemes work with more than 1,500 promoting groups to show live performances to approximately 250,000 people in rural communities each year.