Twenty-two ambitious charities from across the North of England, the Midlands, and Wales have been announced as winners of the Weston Charity Awards, each receiving a package of support and funding worth £22,000.
Delivered in partnership between the Garfield Weston Foundation and Pilotlight, the Weston Charity Awards support charities to strengthen their leadership, plan for sustainable growth, and build long-term resilience.
During the year-long programme of strategic mentoring and leadership, each charity is allocated a team of senior business professionals, who provide tailored coaching on topics such as income diversification, business planning, long-term strategy, volunteer recruitment, and operational efficiency. This expert guidance helps the charities to gain the skills and capacity to thrive in an increasingly challenging environment.
This year’s winning charities offer services and support across a range of sectors including mental health and wellbeing, training and education, and financial support.
Clare Gough, Director at the Garfield Weston Foundation said:
“Warm congratulations to this year’s Weston Charity Award winners. We are delighted to continue our partnership with Pilotlight in supporting an inspiring mix of charities doing vital work. As demands on the sector continue to grow, these Awards help charities take time to reflect, build resilience and plan for lasting impact.”
Previous winners have included Community Learning Partnership, Escape Arts and Next Steps Mental Health Resource Centre.
Iana Petkova, Interim CEO at Pilotlight added:
“At a time of real pressure on the charity sector, these awards provide more than funding. They create space for organisations to gain perspective and insight, think strategically and build for the future.
We know that when you invest in both people and strategy, the impact goes far beyond a single organisation. It strengthens the whole ecosystem. These awards are about investing in long-term change, not just short-term survival.”
Since launching in 2014, the awards have supported more than 180 charities. A recent report evaluating the impact of the awards over the last 10 years found that 9 out of 10 charity leaders reported their organisation being more operationality fit after completing the Weston Charity Awards Pilotlight 360 programme.