Charity Heroes Awards Winners Announced

This year, Benefact Group launched their Charity Heroes Awards, a new awards programme designed to celebrate and support charities working tirelessly to make positive change.

The finalists gathered at the iconic Tower of London On November 28th to enjoy a day of celebration as we congratulated the winners and runners-up in this year’s Charity Heroes Awards.

Gungor Baykan from WRS announcing the winners for the Local Community Initiative

It was an inspiring event, hosted by Dr Andy Cope from the Art of Brilliance with speeches from Tom O’Leary from Historic Royal Palaces and Mark Hews, CEO of the Benefact Group. Representatives from around the Benefact Group, including our very own Gungor Baykan, came to meet the finalists and were thrilled to present the winners’ prizes.

The winners and finalists

Local Community Initiative (sponsored by WRS)
  • Winner: Elliott Holmes Memorial Fund CIC
  • Runners-up: Future Toolbox & Open Road Visions
Picture by Clint Randall www.pixelprphotography.co.uk
Volunteer of the year
  • Winner: Luanne Rimmer, Handmade with Love & Making Memories
  • Runners-up: Abbie Chibnell-Smith, Juvenile Arthritis Research & Zoe Bryan, Transforming Autism
Picture by Clint Randall www.pixelprphotography.co.uk
Climate action project
  • Winner: Outdoor and Sustainability Education Specialists
  • Runners-up: Durham Wildlife Trust & Global Goals Centre
Picture by Clint Randall www.pixelprphotography.co.uk
Digital fundraising initiative
  • Winner: Dogs 4 Rescue
  • Runners-up: Crohn’s & Colitis UK & Street Child
Picture by Clint Randall www.pixelprphotography.co.uk
Small charity, big impact
  • Winner: Tiny Tickers
  • Runners-up: Hollie Gazzard Trust & TASC The Ambulance Staff Charity
Picture by Clint Randall www.pixelprphotography.co.uk
Charity leader of the year
  • Winner: Jolanta Lasota, Ambitious About Autism
  • Runners-up: Ali Waterworth, Ruddi’s Retreat & Taban Shoresh OBE, The Lotus Flower
Picture by Clint Randall www.pixelprphotography.co.uk
Colleagues’ choice
  • Winner: Derian House Children’s Hospice proposed by Colin Wilby
  • Runners-up: Sands – baby loss charity proposed by Kirsty Dickson & Winston’s Wish proposed by Gemma Percival
Picture by Clint Randall www.pixelprphotography.co.uk

Thank you everyone for coming and making this such a special day.

The prizes

Winning charities in each category was awarded £5,000 and runners up will receive £1,000.

For more information on the awards, please visit the Benefact Group website here.

About WRS

At WRS Insurance Brokers, we are specialists in Charity Insurance and our experienced team is passionate about the charitable sector. Our experience has taught us that one size certainly doesn’t fit all and that every charity and not-for-profit organisation faces its own unique risks.

WRS is part of the Benefact Group, a charity-owned, international family of financial services companies that gives all available profits to charity and good causes.