CSJ Awards offer anti-poverty groups £25,000 in prizes
Iain Duncan Smith MP, Chairman of the Centre for Social Justice, has launched the 2006 CSJ Awards. These are designed to recognise, reward and celebrate organisations making exceptional contributions in meeting the needs of some of Britain’s most vulnerable people, and include a total prize fund of £25,000.
The judging panel for the awards includes senior representatives from the voluntary sector, politics and business, including Camila Batmanghelidjh of Kids’ Company, Theresa May MP, and Frank Field MP.
Iain Duncan Smith MP, Chairman of the CSJ, launched the 2006 awards with the comment that: “The Centre for Social Justice is convinced that all of Britain’s social problems are being effectively tackled by someone, somewhere. We also believe that the most impressive work in tackling poverty is often done by small groups who are quietly getting on with the job.” The awards are designed to highlight these groups and this work.
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As well as sharing in the prize money, this year’s winners will benefit from publicity at the 28 June awards ceremony at Westminser in front of senior politicians, opinion-formers and philanthropists.
In addition, a promotional film will be made profiling the work of winning groups that can be used for fundraising and publicity purposes. Corporate giving to all short-listed projects will be encouraged through the website, www.effectivegiving.org.uk.
Furthermore, the CSJ intends to build long-term mutually beneficial relationships with all the most impressive applicants through the CSJ Alliance. The Alliance, currently comprising around forty groups, was launched by David Cameron MP in July 2005 and is available to advise politicians of all the mainstream parties.