A few photographs from my Trip to Longleat Safari & Adventure Park. It’s a great place and I would highly recommend it if you have a spare weekend. Great for families and kids. There is a lot to do so I would suggest getting the passport ticket which allows you to come back another day which is what my current plans are! Anyway, let me know what you think of the photos.

–and there goes another year. It’s hard to beleive how far we have come in such a short space of time, not that I’m complaining of course. On Saturday night we held the Haliwards 2011 ceremony. We presented 8 awards, all the details of our award winners can be found on the Haliwards homepage.

The ceremony was a success. It wasn’t perfect, but what event ever is. Based on the budget we had this year even though it was bigger than last years, it’s still rather small… I think we did rather well. We had lots of laughs and lots of tears of joy. It was a very moving ceremony.

I’m sure by now you would have seen some footage from the ceremony but if you haven’t then check out this preview of our DVD. I encourage everyone connected to purchase a copy. Our production team has some serious work in front of them but as you can see they are doing wonders with the footage we have. You can order a copy of the ceremony accompanied by a digital set of the photographs by visiting http://haliwards.com/dvd

These past few days I have received some of the nicest emails and I wanted to share a few of them with you.
I have taken the liberty of removing the winners and guests name so not to cause any embarrassment but believe me when I say these are real.

Thank you for the wonderful evening – it was a humbling experience to have people (complete strangers) walking up and saying “thank you for what you do” …I spent the good part of the night on the verge of tears (ok, sometimes I was in tears!).  To have friends there, who you knew were only there “because of you”….all very very over whelming!

So in closing I share with you the wisdom of the smartest person I’ve every met, my Mother (who is gone now)…….  ”Each and everyday the light shines upon you for just a brief moment to allow you to see the important things in life; what to do that day to make this a better place to love, live and grow – use your opportunity wisely!  Alex, this you have done!

Last night your vision and dream touch many, as one of the many proud recipients of the award, I was honored to not only receive the award but to stand beside the outstanding other seven who have and still continue to do such great work for the community. Alex, Your vision impacted my life and I want to say – Thank you.

We were very impressed with the professionalism, organization and caliber of the event BUT in particular, it was very inspiring to see the number of people committed and contributing to the community and the variety of areas in which this is happening. It is time that this comes to eye of the public! Best wishes to you and the Haliwards Board for continued success with this event.

Saturday evening was a perfectly charming event – very humbling, but so energizing to hear all of the amazing work which the other recipients described in their remarks.My family and I wish to thank the Haliwards committee for their community spirit, and know that you will be successful with building on your delightful idea. It’s enlightening to have learned so much from others, and I sincerely thank all recipients for their wonderful commitment.

As you can imagine emails like these have really made my week. There were many more and I thank each and everyone of you who took the time to send me a note. I’m pleased to know that we have touched so many this year and I can only hope we can do the same next year.

Talking of next year we have already received a handful of sponsorship requestes and partnership proposals and we looks forward to considering these over the summer. All you need to know is that the Haliwards is on track for 2012 and our possibilities at this stage are without doubt, endless.

I have been carrying a large secret around with me recently. It’s a secret that very few knew and those that did were sworn to absolute secrecy. It’s quite possibly the best kept secret in the history of the Haliwards and its one that will surprise many and astound a few. It wasn’t the easiest of secrets to carry either. On several occasions I have the urge to let it slip and people around me accidently said too much at times. Either way none of that matters now.

As many of you will recall on February 9th we announced that Heather Shay, Chair of the 2011 Advisory Board would be hosting the ceremony in my absence. My absence was due to a large workload on a UK project and several other personal factors. Today I’d like to make an update to that statement.

Can you see where this is going?

The Haliwards has great significance to me as I have said a million times before. It’s a project that has grown very quickly in size that it blows many of my previous award projects out the window. The Haliwards is reaching a critical stage and as we finish up our 2011 project we begin to look towards the Haliwards in 2012 or as it’s internally know ‘Haliwards 2.0”. I believe the Haliwards are too important to miss and that is why only a matter of minutes ago I landed at HIA with every intention on co-hosting the 2011 awards.

Award recipients along with our partners and sponsors having been telling me what a shame it is that I was unable to attend the ceremony and their kind words have twisted my arm to be here. It’s no secret that in fact I have had my ticket booked for several months but it was something I did as a backup plan on the off chance I decided to go. This would have marked the first project I had directed and not attended.

I’m not exactly sure how long I’m going to be in the city but I’ll likely be here for the next few weeks while we make the final preparations for the ceremony. If you have the need to contact me please email me. My Canadian contact number is not in service (No UltraSn0w, no unlock). As you can imagine I have a very hectic schedule but I’ll do my best to accommodate everyone.

Anyway, I’ll keep this short. It’s nice to be back!

This article was published in Profile Halifax in January 2011.

We’re sitting at a coffee shop in off the beaten track in downtown Halifax. With me are a young man and woman, both with a slight build, and neither of them meeting the stereotypical description of an awards show director. Slim, and average height, his British accent sets him apart from the Halifax coffee bar crowd. Blonde, with an athletic build, she looks poised, but unassuming. Once I’ve scratched the surface, they’re both larger than life. Together, they lead Haliwards, a small group that wants to tell Halifax about you: the “normal person, working a normal job,” who “does something extraordinary.”

In a world where awards are handed out to receive big donations, publicity, or politics, Alex Maine saw an opportunity to create something new, something different. Inspired by a ceremony in the United Kingdom called “The Pride of Central Somerset,” which is in its third season, he set out to create an award in Halifax that celebrates the normal citizen’s big achievements. The Pride of Central Somerset was started with a desire to recognize individuals who raised money for charity, but it quickly became much, much more, and seeks to recognize a variety of achievements. This is what Maine sees for Haliwards.

Hailing from the UK, Maine came to Halifax to chase down a girl. When that didn’t work out, he realized that he’d fallen in love with the city, and is hoping to make Halifax his home, though he travels back to the UK regularly. In order to make the project a success even when he’s not around, an advisory board was created.

In comes Heather Shay, a native of East Chezzetcook, a small fishing village near Halifax. She joined the project before the first award ceremony last spring. In November, she became the second Chair of the Advisory Board, replacing Cara Muise.

The first thing that jumps out is their youth. Maine is only 22, Shay even younger, at 20. When asked about the rest of the Board, they replied that the eldest is 24 years old. Haliwards is truly a vision pushed by young people, full of enthusiasm and energy.

The cross section of winners from the first year is telling; an award was given to a group of students at Halifax West High School for their efforts to raise money for cancer, another was awarded to their teacher, Sandra Starratt, who Maine felt pushed them along to raise the money, yet another was awarded to Lindsay Allain, who raises money to purchase materials for the crafts room at the IWK Children’s Hospital.

Three of the eight recipients in the first group were already well known in the Halifax community: Irvine Carvery of the Africville Genealogical Society, Adriana Afford of the Argyle Fine Art Gallery, and the staff of Q104. Despite their relatively high profile, Maine maintains that the awards are justifiable: they have had a major effect on the Halifax community, and are all still very much in tune with the average citizen.

Maine is worried that the awards could adopt a character other than the pure recognition of “greatness” he imagined in creating it. He’s hesitant to use categories to constrain the awards, or to specify a fixed number, saying categories are “the number one thing I want to stay away from.” He enjoys the current at-large format, which gives freedom to the advisory board to make the decisions. Could there be some categories in the future? “Maybe,” says Maine.

Haliwards has grown thanks to word of mouth, as well as generous promotion by NewCap radio, the company that produces Q104 and KoolFM. Shay heard about the project through some friends who know Maine. Last year, there were fewer than 50 nominations. This year, the team received 183 individual nominations, and Maine hopes to increase that total next year.

The Pride of Central Somerset is in its sixth season, and has been, by Maine’s assessment, successful. He’s bullish on Haliwards though, pointing to the advisory board’s work and predicting that they will be even bigger by the end of the second year than the original is now.

Despite the rapid growth and optimistic future, there have been some setbacks. City Hall hasn’t been interested in the project, one member of the Board was forced to resign due to an illness, local schools and universities haven’t been easy to work with, and businesses haven’t been sponsoring awards with as much enthusiasm as Maine would like. Ultimately, the challenges they face will not stop the show.

They’re jaded by City Hall, perhaps due to their youth. They’ve found it very difficult to get any support from the HRM, but Maine has grown comfortable with that. “We’ll take care of this, and if they want to get on board with us, we’ll welcome them.” He’s encouraged by the support he’s received at the provincial level, including a note from Liberal MLA Diana Whalen, and a press release from the provincial government, and hopes it’s a sign of more to come.

A competitive jump-roper, and a Tourism and Hospitality Management student at the Nova Scotia Community College, Shay has several friends on the Board. Half of the Board is made up of students, and she describes it as a tight-knit group. “If you upset one of us, you’re bound to upset us all.” She was inspired by the story of Lindsay Allain, whose kindness pushed her to recognize more effort in the community through Haliwards. Almost two years in the project, she hopes to stick around as long as possible. Unlike many youth, she’s determined to stay in Nova Scotia, and avoid being pulled out west.

He’s hoping to make Nova Scotia his permanent home, joining Shay in bucking the trend to leave the region. Their determination may just be what defines Haliwards: youth who are ready to run against the grain, looking behind every rock for hope and exposing the greatness throughout the city. If circumstances don’t work out, Maine insists he’s confident in the board’s ability to carry on without him, and “I’ll be back. I love a Tim’s muffin or donut from time to time!” Canada has corrupted him in the short time since he’s arrived.

Stubbornness is the first quality that Maine reveals when asked about his character. They both credit that in part with getting the show off the ground, despite the cold shoulder from the city and many of the businesses they’ve approached. It takes a certain character to raise a show off the ground, and it appears that Maine and Shay have it in them to pull the show through many more years.

Maine, in conjunction with the advisory board, chooses the winners based on “gut feeling.” They follow up on nominations, and aim to recognize a variety of backgrounds, but since there are no rules to limit awards, they aren’t constrained if two similar stories were to crop up, so long as they are both “extraordinary,” a word that Maine continuously returns to in describing many of the nominees.

When asked about the longevity of the show, Maine invoked a reference to Harry Potter, as the latest movie came out just days before we sat down. No matter what businesses, city hall, and the provincial government do, Haliwards is “like a Horcrux, we’re not going anywhere.”

With a unique format, a driven team, and an inspiration from across the pond, Haliwards may just have what it takes to survive in Halifax, and start a movement in every corner of the country to recognize everyday Canadians for their great accomplishments in the community. Look out, Order of Canada, there’s a new kid on the block. — The second Haliwards show will take place on April 2nd at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Tickets can be purchased at http://haliwards.eventbrite.com

by Ben Wedge

Here are the announcements that went out revealing our award winners on January 13th and 14th. Tickets for the Haliwards Ceremony are available right now by visiting haliwards.com

KOOL FM 13/01
http://haliwards.com/res/jan11/Haliwards_KOOL_011311.mp3

Q104 13/01
http://haliwards.com/res/jan11/Haliwards_Q104_011311.mp3

KOOL FM 14/01
http://haliwards.com/res/jan11/KOOL_Haliwards_011411.mp3

A few days ago the postman brought me something very special, very special indeed. Pictured above is a very early copy of the book I wrote. Everybody has expressed how much they love the front cover and I must say I am very pleased with it. The photo was taken in my apartment when I was looking out at the fog one evening. I’m still working on the back cover and the blurb but I’m sure an idea will present itself.

So it’s all well and good that I have written this book, but what’s it about? Well during the second half of 2010 I went through what I consider one of the most troubling times in my life. A situation that was so unbelievable it tore me apart and I resulted to keeping a journal, a sort of diary of events during the events that took place in Halifax, NS. The book is a day-by-day account of how I managed to survive the ordeal and come out the other side. The journal was never intended to be published, it was intended to help me deal with the ordeal, to keep my sanity and then eventually to give to the person who was at the center of the situation. That person expressed little interest in reading the 70k word document and my friends, family and legal advisors expressed thoughts about publishing it, and here we are.

This early copy is currently circulating around my family and then I’m going to revise it. Then I’ll start putting my feelers out to some of my friends and some volunteers who would be willing to read it and provide feedback. If you are interested, let me know.

Then what? Well, if it gets the thumbs up, I hope to have to it available for purchase on Amazon in the summer. I never thought I had it in me to write a book, but it really is one of the best things I have ever done. It’s something I am proud of.

♫ Alex was listening to Smells like teen spirit – Scala & Kolacny Brothers

Every New Year’s we tell ourselves that this year is going to be different. This year we will change everything to make things the way we want it or to how things “should be”. It’s seems it’s in our nature to have these idolized commitments but come mid-January they are nothing but words.

2010 was a unique year for me and one I won’t forget easily. It marks the year of the first Haliwards ceremony. While it wasn’t glitzy and expensive, it was fresh and exciting. I must have done something right because 2010 is also the year I was honoured by the Provincial Government of Nova Scotia for my work on the project. Fair enough, it’s not exactly a knighthood, but its step in the right direction, right?

While I have fond memories of 2010 it’s hard not to allow the bad memories to overcast the good. It was a year of great personal difficulty for me and I for one was very glad to hear Big Ben bring in 2011. At the very least I can take away some very valuable life lessons from last year.

This post is not to dwell on what was but what will be. 2011 marks the 2nd annual Haliwards ceremony. When I left Canada at the beginning of August I was concerned that my forever hanging plans to move back to the UK would affect the project. Luckily enough, and I use the word lucky lightly, I found myself in Canada until the end of November and was able to get some hard work done to secure the projects future. While we have said goodbye to some board members we have held on to some great ones and I’m happy that I’ll be welcoming some new faces to the team in the next few weeks.

2011 will be the year that the Haliwards takes a turn into the mainstream market. The project has been a resounding success. With us only a matter of days away from announcing our award winners I can safely say that once again HRM has provided nominations of impeccable calibre. The Haliwards is here to stay and I intend to really push the boat out this year and set us up for a long and prosperous future. It remains to be seen if I’ll be at the ceremony but either way it will be a night to remember.

Several people have asked me over the festive season what my long-term plans are for the East Coast and to be quite honest I’m not entirely sure. I have a great fondness for Nova Scotia so I guess I’m not going to rule it out just yet. I have some unfinished business to attend too.

2011 may also mark the year of my first book and likely my last. I’m hoping to publish a personal journal later this year which recreates the most memorable and almost unbearable scenario of my life. I’m expecting my proof copy to arrive in the next few weeks from the publishers and then I’ll probably take a few months to make it worthy of a read. I don’t expect to sell many copies; I don’t even care if anyone even reads it because it’s a personal triumph whatever the outcome.  120hrs hours of writing well spent in my opinion.

I have no current plans to revive the Pride of Central Somerset. I take great comfort in the fact that the Central Somerset Gazette put their heads together to change the word pride to people and ran with it. I’m quite flattered actually. Who knows? Never say never.

What I do know is I have never been so determined to prove to myself and to a select few that this is just the beginning —So raise your glass to 2011, to what I believe will me more memorable than ever.

♫ Alex was listening to Terra Nova – iLiKETRAiNS