Royal Gazette: National Trust honours work of people benefiting Bermuda
A chaplain who has taught people how to grow their own food has been honoured for “making a very positive contribution to a more sustainable Bermuda”.
Kevin Santucci was one of several people recognised at the Bermuda National Trust heritage awards, which were held on Wednesday after a two-year gap owing to the pandemic.
The annual awards recognise individuals, organisations and groups which have worked for the benefit of Bermuda and its people to preserve places of beauty, environmental significance or historical interest, buildings or artefacts, or animal and plant life, and to promote their appreciation.
Dr Santucci, who also a pastor, picked up the Bermudiana trophy for developing the Grow-Eat-Save Programme, which he started in 2015. More than 500 residents have learnt to grow their own food and reconnected with nature in the process under Dr Santucci’s guidance.
The Outstanding Young Environmentalist award was presented to Luke Foster, who has shown exceptional commitment and contribution to the preservation of Bermuda’s natural environment.
A trust spokeswoman said that Luke, 15, “is a driving force within the Warwick Academy Natural History Club and an active member of the Bermuda Audubon Society”.
“He has already made significant accomplishments as a local birder and has been tipped by David Wingate as likely to become one of Bermuda’s foremost conservationists.”
The St David’s Island Historical Society and its chairman, Richard Spurling, were awarded the DeForest Trimingham Awareness Award for exceptional heritage conservation and interpretation at Carter House in St David’s.
The spokeswoman said: “In recent years there have been major enhancements to the museum and its exhibits, as well as a conservation project to replant the grounds with endemic and native trees and plants to recreate the early settlement environment