Engineering professor wins Beacon Prize

Professor Guthrie was presented with his prizes - including a sum of £20,000 to donate to the charity of his choice - by the Right Honourable David Miliband, MP.

He was chosen for his work for the charity RedR, the Register for Engineers Disaster Relief. RedR (which has now become RedR-IHE) responds to crisis situations and relieves suffering caused by disasters by providing competent and committed engineers to humanitarian programmes worldwide - frequently at short notice.

Professor Guthrie set up RedR in 1980 when, after working for Oxfam as the only engineer with the Vietnamese 'boat people' in Malaysia, he saw how difficult it was for relief agencies to recruit skilled workers to help provide desperately needed facilities. He drew up a register of carefully selected engineers who could be called out at short notice to work with front-line relief agencies, and that register is now an international body which deploys hundreds of specialists to all corners of the globe every year.

"For decades, Peter has been working in disaster areas to rebuild not only buildings but also lives. Beacon is delighted to be awarding him its highest honour for his many years of service to those in need, and hopes that his example will inspire people for many years to come," said Beacon's new Chairman Martyn Lewis.

"The Tsunami reminded me again of the worth of our organisation. Yet it is not just after large-scale disasters that people need our help. I hope that this award will spur other people on to use their skills to help in areas that need them most,” said Professor Guthrie.

The annual Beacon Prize celebrates and raises the profile of charitable giving in the UK by giving recognition to those who have made a significant contribution to charity, whether through giving resources, time or special skills.