Professor Alan Walker, from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Sociological Studies, was given this year's Social Policy Association's (SPA) Lifetime Achievement award. Professor Walker, who has worked at the University of Sheffield for 30 years, received the award for his 'massive national and international lifetime contribution to social policy'.

"It was a wonderful surprise, receiving this award," said Professor Walker, currently Director of the New Dynamics of Ageing programme, which aims to improve quality of life for older people. "To receive this major award and to be nominated by my peers and selected by a panel of the leading academics in the field of British social policy, is a great honour."

"The award is in recognition of a lifetime's work and, although I think I still have some mileage left in me, it is a fantastic feeling to be honoured in this way by my profession. The icing on the cake, as the footballers say, was to receive the award from Polly Toynbee, President of the SPA and chair of the selection panel."

SPA is a professional association for academics and experts working in social policy, which is the part of public policy that deals with social issues such as welfare.

See http://www.shef.ac.uk/eview/articles82/walker.html for further details and photos

Kate Davidson, President of BSG, announces "The Alan Walker Prize"

A particularly pleasant task for me at the Age Concern England reception prior to the Conference dinner in the wonderful Cutlers Hall, was to make a presentation to Professor Alan Walker to acknowledge his outstanding contribution to British gerontology. Dr Tony Maltby made a short speech in which he outlined briefly some of the long list of Alan’s achievements pointing out that not only has his work been nationally and internationally acclaimed, he has inspired students and colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds and professions to pursue the study of later life.

A panel, chaired by Alan, will consider nominations for the award. We are keen to open the competition to practitioners, academics and students and I do believe the possibility of this prestigious prize will attract more members from outside academia, and will enhance anyone’s CV.

Alan was surprised and delighted with the award and he spent the rest of the evening smiling very broadly! Notification of the competition and procedure will be made on the web site very soon.

Dr Kate Davidson
University of Surrey.