An independent evaluation commissioned by Pilotlight and the Garfield Weston Foundation has revealed that the Weston Charity Awards deliver outcomes that are “overwhelmingly positive and long-lasting”.
Conducted by Inside Impact, the report highlights the enduring benefits of skills-based volunteering for small charities across the UK. Among the standout findings:
- 96% of charity leaders reported gaining new perspectives through coaching from volunteer business experts
- 43 leaders are still benefiting from this shift today
- 98% saw improvements in senior leadership
- 91% reported a clearer organisational purpose and stronger impact delivery
Since its launch in 2014, the Weston Charity Awards have supported nearly 200 charities working in community, environment, welfare, and youth sectors. Each year, up to 22 charities from the Midlands, North of England, and Wales are selected to receive a support package worth over £22,000. This includes an unrestricted grant of £6,500 from the Garfield Weston Foundation and access to the transformative Pilotlight 360 programme.
The evaluation also found that nearly half of participating charities credited the Awards with helping them develop or refine strategic documents such as business plans, mission statements, and theories of change.
Reflecting on the findings, Ed Mayo, Chief Executive of Pilotlight, said:
“In the field of capacity building, this is gold dust. A cheque from a donor can give a short-term boost to charities, but it will typically be transient. Support that makes a lasting difference to charities and their leaders has far more of a beneficial impact for those whom the charity is there to serve”.
Applications for the next round of the Weston Charity Awards will open later in November 2025.
