Charity Awards 2018 Winners

Diverse Awards celebrate the country’s exceptional change-makers

(scroll down for the list of winners)

In a true celebration of diversity across communities, the third annual Asian Voice Charity Awards in London, organised by Britain’s oldest Asian diaspora publication Asian Voice and Europe’s first independent charity due diligence platform, Charity Clarity, at a glittering event, saw winners from across Britain, Afghanistan, India, Tibet and an audience representing more than 40 countries at a glittering evening at the London Hilton on Park Lane, on the eve of the Royal wedding.

The Asian Voice Charity Awards powered by Charity Clarity are about rewarding charities that think big and solve the most pressing social issues of our time, both in Britain and globally.

This year the Cleft Lip and Palate Association won Charity of the Year award for their work as the only UK-wide voluntary organisation specifically targeting those affected by cleft lip and palate, at a ceremony attended by some of the wealthiest philanthropists in Britain, including GP Hinduja, as well as leading politicians and celebrities.

Road To Freedom won Startup Of The Year, for its work to provide refugees from war-town countries with immediate aid, working with NGOs and government agencies on the ground in some of the most difficult parts of the world.

National Energy Action were the judges’ runaway winner for an exceptional country-wide campaign to save energy, a model that has been adopted in other countries too. Child to Child won the Social Impact Award, for its 40 years of work promoting international child-rights. Male rape survivor and activist Alexander Morgan won the Most Inspiring Young Person prize, and police constable Steve Whitmore the Most Inspiring Individual prize.

The Charity Clarity Award for Outstanding Impact went to Jagriti Yatra, a 15-day train journey, 800km for 400 young change-makers across India that happens each year. It has created some of India’s foremost social entrepreneurs and pioneers enterprise-led development that cuts across socio-economic boundaries in India.

The Editor’s Award for Community Service went to Sangat Advice Centre, which helps the South Asian community in Harrow with information about the law to enforce their rights to welfare benefits, debt, immigration and discrimination.

The Charity Awards’s judging panel this year included Chair of the City Bridge Trust Alderman Alison Gowman, Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Director of Philanthropy and Development at the Charities Aid Foundation David Stead and former chair of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Subhash Thakrar.

One of the key attractions of the evening was an exclusive ‘tete-a-tete’ with UK’s richest Asian man GP Hinduja, by a British born entrepreneur and TV personality Syed Ahmed. Mr Hinduja shared his life story- journey to success, challenges and pride in his Indian roots or culture but denounced the stereotypical definition of attributing success to materialistic achievements or gains. He said, “I do not define success with wealth or power, nor do I define success with anything to do with the materialistic world.”

Speaking about the importance of charity and philanthropy in front of 400 guests at this glittering evening in Hilton Park Lane, he added, “Helping someone one time is charity. In reality we all should follow philanthropy and try to see how we can create institutions, how can we focus more on health and education. As our scriptures say, the only wealth you will take with you upon your death is education.”

He added, “It will also be misleading to tell you that charity brings success and it is wrong to expect something in return while doing philanthropic work.”

CB Patel, Publisher and Editor of Asian Voice, said: “Charities around Britain carry out great work both nationally and internationally. We have witnessed these charities go unnoticed for their valuable efforts and we strongly believe in providing them a platform to recognise such individuals and to inspire others.”

Pratik Dattani, from Charity Clarity, said: “The sustained excellence, in terms of the nominations, the rigorous judging process and the calibre of the attendees on the night shows that this is a key event in the diary each year for philanthropists and charities in Britain. It is wonderful to honour the commitment to excellence our Outstanding Impact winner Jagriti Yatra makes, by transforming lives around India.”

Photos from the Awards can be found here or on Facebook here.

Charity Awards Winners

Charity of the year – The Cleft Lip and Palate Association (CLAPA)

The Cleft Lip and Palate Association (CLAPA) is the representative organisation for all those in the UK affected by cleft lip and/or palate. Our vision is a world where having a cleft is no barrier to achieving your desires and ambitions. You can read more about them here.

Start-up of the Year – Road to freedom

Road to Freedom is an organisation that aims to provide refugees fleeing war-torn countries with immediate aid, which includes food, clothing and hygiene kits. Working with official NGO’s and charities on the ground at borders and refugee camps, we personally hand aid to those men, women and children in desperate need. You can read more about them here.

Outstanding PR Team – National Energy Action (NEA)

National Energy Action (NEA) is a fuel poverty charity that works to eradicate fuel poverty and campaigns for greater investment in energy efficiency to help those who are poor or vulnerable gain affordable heat. You can read more about them here.

 Social Impact Award – Child to Child

Child to Child is a pioneer of children’s participation. For nearly 40 years we’ve partnered with and trained the world’s leading agencies to equip children with the skills to stay safe, stay healthy and achieve their potential, no matter what life throws at them. You can read more about them here.

Most Inspiring Individual – Steve Whitmore

Steve has devoted 28 years to volunteering, most recently as a Special Constable for the Metropolitan Police Service. Steve launched the ‘Books in Nicks’ project, which provides free books to the Metropolitan Police’s Custody suites.The projects supplies appropriate reading materials for under 18’s who find themselves in police cells for up to 24 hours without access to telephone, television or radio.

Most Inspiring Young Person – Alexander Morgan

Alex is a male survivor of 2 instances of sexual assault and sexual exploitation who has turned his vulnerability into a force for good, breaking taboos and busting myths surrounding male survivors of assault in order to help others. Alex has gone on to take his experiences and found a charity called Stay Brave which campaigns to raise awareness for services that help all those affected by abuse and exploitation regardless of orientations or gender identity.

Charity Clarity Award for Outstanding Impact – Jagriti Yatra

Jagriti Yatra is an initiative of Jagriti Sewa Sansthan, a non-governmental organization that promotes entrepreneurship. The initiative was launched in 2008. In Hindi, Jagriti Yatra means a journey of awakening, and as the name suggests it is a journey of social awakening. The Jagriti Yatra has the aim of exposing the Indian Youth to the concept of social entrepreneurship and social progress through enterprise led development. You can read more about them here.

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

About the Awards: The Asian Voice Charity Awards, powered by Charity Clarity are not only about charities which seek to solve the most pressing social issues of our time both in Britain and globally, but also for those that seek to innovate and strive for excellence and whose success is judged by their end results. Find out more at www.asianvoicecharityawards.com.

About Asian Voice: Published by Asian Business Publications Ltd (ABPL) since 1972, Asian Voice is an English newsweekly, aimed at the ethnic community in the UK. Besides publishing many other theme based magazines and another weekly newspaper viz. Gujarat Samachar (in Gujarati), Asian Voice also organises awards, networking and some key community events in the UK. Find out more at www.abplgroup.com.

About Charity Clarity: Charity Clarity is the first independent rating tool for charities. It has two simple aims: Empower Donors, Support Charities. We provide support to a wide range of charities, foundations and social enterprises through ratings, assessments and impact measurement; as well as extensive PR and digital marketing support, grant applications; trustee training and events. Find out more at www.charityclarity.org.uk.