The history of the awards
 
The 2005 Plain English Campaign Awards marked the 26th year that we have recognised the saints and sinners who communicate with the public.
In 1980 we gave our first awards to six organisations that had used plain English in their documents. We also named and shamed more than 100 groups who were guilty of gobbledygook.
It is our light-hearted treatment of these people that has always attracted the most attention. We gave the first set of winners a repulsive wastepaper basket, and the 1981 winners found a parcel of tripe in their mail! Unfortunately, hygiene laws now prevent this, and instead we give the winners a plastic 'Golden Bull' trophy.
After the 1981 awards, a sceptical journalist phoned 20 previous Bull winners to see how they had reacted. Only one had taken no action and Eagle Star, one of the unfortunate winners, had totally rewritten their bull-winning policy.
We later found that government departments won so many of the Plain English (or 'good') awards that, in 1987, we gave the first Inside Write Awards for documents written by the civil service for civil servants. The category was so successful, we made it permanent in 1991.
1993 saw perhaps the most famous Golden Bull, awarded to the NHS for a 229-word definition of 'a bed'!
In 1995 we gave the first Crystal Clear Trophy to NatWest for being the bank most committed to plain English throughout the year. We later added other Crystal Clear categories, including local authorities and insurance.
In 2000, the Crystal Clear Trophies were replaced with a separate event, Crystal Clear Day, on 30 June. This was a celebration of all the documents that have earned the Crystal Mark.
The following celebrities have hosted our awards ceremony:
- 2005: Journalist Matthew Parris
- 2004: Journalist Ian Hislop
- 2003: Broadcaster Fiona Bruce
- 2002: Writer and comedy performer Sandi Toksvig
- 2001: Journalist, author and broadcaster John Humphrys
- 2000: Broadcaster Gavin Campbell
- 1999: Broadcaster Dermot Murnaghan
- 1998: Broadcaster Martyn Lewis
- 1997: Television presenter Edward Enfield
- 1996: Television and radio presenter Tim Grundy
- 1995: Actress and singer Toyah Wilcox
- 1994: Actress Pam Ferris and radio presenter Sybil Ruscoe
- 1993: Comedian Jack Dee
- 1992: Gyles Brandreth MP
- 1991: Comedian Graeme Garden ('The Goodies')
- 1990: Comedian and television presenter Willie Rushton
- 1989: Lord Soper
- 1988: Actress Hilary Crowson ('Bread')
- 1987: Actor Michael Cashman ('EastEnders')
- 1986: Broadcaster Esther Rantzen
- 1985: Actor Gian Sammarco ('Adrian Mole')
- 1984: Actress Julie Walters
- 1983: Actor Paul Eddington ('Yes Minister').
- 1982: Former Master of the Rolls Lord Denning
- 1981: Salford housewife Mrs Ethel Owen
- 1980: TV playwright John McGrath
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