# Small charities with big impact recognised in Lloyds Bank Foundations Charity Achievements Awards - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/10/09/small-charities-with-big-impact-recognised-in-lloyds-bank-foundations-charity-achievements-awards/ - Published: 2015-10-09T13:04:38+01:00 - Author: Howard Lake **The creative and life-changing work of 72 small and local charities, often struggling to survive, were celebrated yesterday by a national grantmaker in an awards ceremony in the City of London.** The finalists in the Lloyds Bank Foundations’ Charity Achievement Awards had been selected from nearly 1,000 nominations. Winners were chosen in six categories. As funders, the Lloyds Bank Foundations (there are three of them) know about impact. There were not just rewarding fundraising creativity or service innovation: their awards were for results, about making a life-changing difference to disadvantaged people in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Isles. ## Advertisement The [Charity Achievement Awards](http://www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/about-us/2015-charity-achievement-awards) were held at Banking Hall in London and compèred by radio journalist Libby Purves. This is the first time they have been held. They mark the 30th anniversary of the Lloyds Bank Foundations: since 1985 they have distributed over £575 million to charities in communities across the UK helping to tackle disadvantage. ![Seating at the Lloyds Bank Foundations Charity Achievement Awards, London](https:// www.fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/lloyds-charity-achievement-awards- 2015-bankers-hall.jpg) ## Charity of the Year The Leicester-based charity **Twenty Twenty** won the Charity of the Year award for having had a life-changing influence on hundreds of disadvantaged young people. Twenty Twenty won the award for the help they provide to young people who have lost their way to get back to college or into work by offering mentoring support, teaching, and employment advice. Local MP and Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan, sent a video message congratulating them on winning and for doing a ‘fantastic job’. She said: > “We’re really proud of Twenty Twenty in Loughborough. They do a fantastic job > of working with disengaged young people and finding them their niche in life and > helping them to get their qualifications. They’re successful because they treat > everyone as an individual and they listen and understand the issues and challenges > facing all the young people and help them to find the thing that is going to motivate > them to get back into learning and to find a job. They’ve been particularly successful > at securing apprenticeships and support from local businesses as well as a whole > variety of different partners across Loughborough and Charnwood.” ## Unsung Hero ![Paul Farmer presents Tom McAlpine with Charity Achievement Award. Photo: Tom Mellish]( https://www.fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/charity-achievements-awards- 2015-paul-farmer-tom-mcalpine.jpg) Paul Farmer presents Tom McApline with award. Photo: Tom Mellish **Tom McAlpine**, CEO of the Manchester based mood disorder charity Moodswings was named as the Unsung Hero for his work in founding Moodswings and for contributing over 40 years’ service to helping those with mental ill health. ## Enterprising Collaboration ![Beyond Food Foundation. Photo: Sam Mellish](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2015/10/beyond-food-charity-achievements-awards-winners-2015.jpg) Photo: Sam Mellish South London-based **Beyond Food Foundation** received the Enterprising Collaboration award for its collaboration with others to help providing catering training and work experience at Brigade Bar and Bistro for people overcoming homelessness. ## Outstanding Impact **Working Chance**, a recruitment agency for ex-offenders in North London, won the Outstanding Impact award for helping women with a criminal record back into employment. ## Against the Odds ![WAITS. Photo: Tom Mellish](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/ 10/charity-achievements-awards-2015-waits.jpg) Photo: Tom Mellish Women’s support charity **Women Acting In Today’s Society (W.A.I.T.S)** was rewarded for having survived in a tough financial climate. The charity was forced to sell their refuge due to financial difficulties but fought for their survival and are now able to help more women facing domestic abuse than before. ## Championing Change **Autism NI** received the award for their work to lobby for policy change on behalf of autistic people, resulting in the 2011 Autism Act being passed by the NI Assembly. This success followed a 10 year campaign led by the charity aimed at enhancing the rights of people with Autism in Northern Ireland. ## Valuing Volunteers Manchester Action on Street Health was awarded the Valuing Volunteers award for its approach to working with and supporting the unpaid staff who support sex workers. The volunteers, who are mostly in their twenties and thirties, are involved in the most important work at MASH provide sign posting, advice on sexual health, needle exchange and safety advice. The winning charities each received a trophy and a small grant from the Lloyds Bank Foundations for England and Wales, Northern Ireland and The Channel Islands. All were congratulated by Lord Blackwell, Chair of Lloyds Banking Group, Baroness Rennie Fritchie DBE, Chair of Lloyds Bank Foundation, and by the Chief Executives of the Lloyds Bank Foundations of England and Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands. Paul Streets, CEO of Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales said: > “These charities have worked tenaciously, diligently, patiently and faithfully > with individuals who often had no one left in life to turn to and have proven > that they are truly best in class. Each organisation is punching above its weight; > achieving a huge amount with very little in terms of funding and resources to > realise their vision for those who need them most. For this they deserve our every > congratulation and our thanks. We, with the support of Lloyds Banking Group take > pride in supporting their work.”   **About the Lloyds Bank Foundations** The Lloyds Bank Foundations of England and Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands are independent charitable trusts funded by the profits of Lloyds Banking Group. They operate a range of grant programmes to provide funding for registered charities that focus on improving quality of life, creating equality of opportunity and tackling the disadvantage of those who are marginalised in society across the UK. Lloyds Banking Group has committed to invest over £100 million by 2020 to the Foundation, guaranteeing the Foundations continue to play a critical role in supporting charities. * **[Food photos to raise funds for Action Against Hunger](https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/11/11/food-photos-to-raise-funds-for-action-against-hunger/)**( 11 November 2015) * **[Guardian Charity Awards winners, & Charity Governance Awards & Charity Awards open for entries](https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/12/07/guardian-charity-awards-winner-charity-governance-awards-charity-awards-open-entries/)**( 7 December 2015) * **[British Citizen Awards winners announced](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/01/15/british-citizen-awards-winners-announced/)**( 15 January 2016)