Maasheggen volunteers win national Heritage Volunteer Award

The volunteers of foundation Landschapsbeheer Boxmeer (SLaBox) have won the national Heritage Volunteer Award. On Friday afternoon, Dec. 4, they received a check for 10,000 euros from Minister Van Engelshoven. "From the first bit of that amount we will buy a Limburg flan, which we will eat together with our volunteers during our next meeting," said the proud Ruth Bakkenes, on behalf of SLaBox.

The Heritage Volunteer Award was presented for the first time this year. In the heritage sector, it is mostly volunteer groups that dedicate themselves to the preservation, maintenance and accessibility of our (intangible) cultural heritage. Teams of volunteers who dedicate themselves in this way deserve an award, thought Minister Van Engelshoven of OCW, who therefore created the Heritage Volunteer Award.

From 67 entries, a jury, led by former Member of Parliament Leatitia Griffith, chose three organizations, among them the volunteers who have been maintaining the hedgerows in Oeffelt and Loerangel for years and who also organize, among other things, the Dutch championship for Maasheggenvlechten.
The public was called upon to vote for one of the three finalists. A total of 2,500 votes were cast, 1,500 of which went to the Maasheggen volunteers.

SLaBox received a check for 10,000 euros from Minister Van Engelshoven. Half to be spent freely (e.g. on team activities) and half to promote knowledge transfer in the field of the volunteer work the volunteers are involved in.

In her closing remarks, Minister Van Engelshoven pledged to visit Maasheggen and volunteers soon.