The 2007 Frank Salt Investments Award of Lm1,000 for ‘Philanthropy’ was presented to Janatha Stubbs, founder of Ir-Razzett Tal-Hbiberija, the Park of Friendship, by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

The award was launched in 2004, with the aim of encouraging people to make a greater effort to promote and make others aware of what is happening around them in Malta, and it is given to the person or organisation who, according to the adjudicating committee, did the most throughout the year to promote that year’s theme.

This year’s adjudicating committee felt that these deeds – spanning over many years to help Maltese society in a number of fields – and in particular her personal contribution, together with her late husband Paddy in founding the Park of Friendship, truly puts Mrs Stubbs in a class above the rest. The leisure centre in Marsascala is a charitable organisation founded 15 years ago offering an array of recreational and therapeutic services to persons with special needs.

In presenting the award Dr Gonzi said: “The private sector has realised its social responsibility, and Frank Salt’s initiative to create this award is exemplary.”

He told Mrs Stubbs that the “vision you had 15 years ago has spread; you provided us with a model for the rest of society, for the purpose of benefitting the common good without motivation of material profit. This is an award you don’t really need, but that you deserve, given to you by Frank Salt Investments with a strong endorsement by the Prime Minister, in gratitude for all your hard work over the years.”

In 2004, the winner of the award for the environment was the Gaia Foundation, in 2005 the winner for culture and arts was M.J. Publications, and last year the winner for national pride was Prof. Alex Manche.