# Charity Champions announced for Prestigious Beacon Prize

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2006/07/03/charity-champions-announced-prestigious-beacon-prize/
- Published: 2006-07-03T09:05:44+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

CHARITY CHAMPIONS ANNOUNCED FOR PRESTIGIOUS BEACON PRIZE 2005/6

 

Today, 16 charity heroes have been named as the 2005/6 winners of the annual Beacon
Prize. Now in its third year, the Prize has come to be known as the ‘Nobel Prize
of the charity world’, a phrase first coined by Chancellor Gordon Brown at the inaugural
Prize Ceremony in 2003.

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Joining the ranks of previous Prize winners such as Sir Bob Geldof, Jamie Oliver
and environmentalist Zac Goldsmith, the 2005/6 recipients were chosen for their 
exceptional philanthropic contributions, through the giving of their time, money
and skills in order to benefit specific charitable causes. Selected by an independent
group of six judges headed by Beacon Chair, Martyn Lewis CBE, the winners were selected
from more than 300 nominations received from across the UK.

 

Among the 2005/6 winners are Paul and Diana Lamplugh, who have been recognised by
Beacon for their work for the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, created after the disappearance
of their daughter in 1986, with the aim of establishing greater awareness of personal
safety whilst addressing the issues of violence and aggression in society at large;
The Big Issue Founder, John Bird, for his dedication to the support of the homeless
and Vivien Duffield, philanthropist and arts patron who through the Clore Foundation
has pledged more than £11 million to charitable causes.

 

Also included in the line-up of winners are the ‘Angel of Nagpur’, Leah Pattison,
whose life has been devoted to working with leprosy sufferers in central India; 
holocaust counsellor Helen Bamber, who for nearly sixty years has worked in the 
care and support of victims of torture, and Rita Patel, the Leicester-based community
builder, who works for the support and integration of the Asian communities in the
East Midlands.

 

Beacon Chairman Martyn Lewis notes: We are thrilled to have such a diverse and accomplished
group of winners for the 2005/6 Beacon Prize. Each in their own way exemplifies 
the Beacon goal of encouraging others to give of their own resources, be it through
time, money or skills, in order to benefit charitable causes”.

 

The Prize Ceremony will take place in November 2006, when the winners will be inaugurated
as Beacon Fellows, a community of Beacon Prize winners who together, champion charitable
causes across the globe and nurture a wider culture of giving in the UK. At the 
ceremony, the overall Beacon Prize winner will also be announced, and he or she 
will receive £30,000 to donate to a charitable cause of his or her choice.

 

-Ends-

 

For further information on the Beacon Prize, winners’ biographies and photos of 
the 2005/6 award recipients or on The Beacon Fellowship Charitable Trust contact
Victoria Walsh on 020 7861 8568 or email vw****@***************co.uk or Fintan Nicholls
on 0207 203 8295 or email fi*************@******************rg.uk

 

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