Alternative Futures Group was named the Charity of the Year with an income over £30m at the Charity Times Awards in London last week.

The North West based charity, which helps adults with learning disabilities or mental health needs, was recognised for consistently meeting financial management targets without compromising its high levels of support.

More than 650 people gathered at the Lancaster Hotel last night to recognise excellence in the charity sector, with awards handed out across 28 categories.

Diabetes UK was the overall winner in the Charity of the Year with an income between £10m to £30m category. Judges said the charity had achieved a strong year of fundraising growth, clear identification of service needs and targeted interventions, and a successful awareness campaign.

Charity of the Year with an income of between £5m and 10m went to Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services, which the judges said had displayed an impressive turnaround and success.

The Charity of the Year with an income of between £1m and £5m was North Devon Hospice, recognised for excellent education and outreach work with a clear engagement and leadership role with the community. Charity of the Year with an income of under £1m was the ClementJames Centre, which the judges called work-focused, innovative and highly impactful.

The awards, now in their 15th year, attracted hundreds of high quality entries which were then evaluated by an expert independent judging panel.

The full list of winners and highly commended entrants is available below.


The Winners

Charity Principal of the Year

Highly Commended: Lorraine Clifton, CLIC Sargant
Winner: Barbara Young, Diabetes UK

Fundraising Team of the Year

Winner: Voiceability

Rising CEO Star

Highly Commended: Nicky Goulder, CEO, Create
Winner: John Rendel, Founder and CEO, Promoting Equality in African Schools

Campaigning Team of the Year

Highly Commended: Fostering Network
Winner: Meningitis Now

Outstanding Individual Achievement

Highly Commended: Jacqueline Stokes
Winner: Dr Peter Agulnik

Best use of the Web

Highly Commended: Royal Academy of Dance: Progressions
Highly Commended: Samaritan’s Purse UK
Winner: United Response: Postcards from the Edges

PR Team of the Year for a Charity with an income of more than £30m

Highly Commended: Citizens Advice
Winner: PDSA

PR Team of the Year for a Charity with an income of less than £30m

Highly Commended: Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
Winner: Samaritans

HR Management Award

Highly Commended: Brook
Winner: Teach First

Social Investment Initiative

Winner: Social Investment Business

Big Society Award

Winner: Affinity Sutton - The Community Ambassadors

Fundraising Technology

Winner: The Big Give Christmas Challenge

Corporate Community Involvement

Highly Commended: Community Links/Barclays
Winner: St John’s Hospice/John Lewis Oxford Street

Corporate National Champion

Highly Commended: Shelter/KPMG
Winner: Prostate Cancer UK/ Royal Mail

Corporate National Partnership of the Year with a Retailer

Winner: Save the Children/Morrisons

Corporate National Partnership of the Year with a Financial Institution

Winner: Macmillan Cancer Support/Nationwide

Cross Sector Partnership of the Year

Highly Commended: Everton in the Community/Mersey Care NHS Trust
Winner: Samaritans/The National Offender Management Service England & Wales, Scottish & Northern Ireland Prison services

Corporate Social Responsibility Project of the Year

Highly Commended: Lloyds Scholars
Winner: Restless Development/KPMG

Best Use of Technology Award

Highly Commeded: Brightside/the Financial and Legal Skills Partnership: Get In Get On
Winner: Stand Against Violence

Social Champion Award

Highly Commended: Caritas Anchor House
Winner: Pluss

Investment Management

Highly Commended: Cazenove Charities
Highly Commended: UBS Wealth Management
Winner: Investec Wealth & Investment

Boutique Investment Management

Highly Commended: Heartwood Investment Management
Winner: Mayfair Capital Investment Management

Consultancy of the Year

Highly Commended: PwC
Winner: Foster Denovo

Charity of the Year with an Income of less than £1m

Highly Commended: TwentyTwenty
Highly Commended: Auditory Verbal UK
Winner: ClementJames Centre

Charity of the Year with an Income of between £1-£5m

Highly Commended: IntoUniversity
Highly Commended: The Horse Trust
Winner: North Devon Hospice

Charity of the Year with an income of between £5-10m

Highly Commended: Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
Winner: Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services

Charity of the Year with an income of between £10-£30m

Highly Commended: Prostate Cancer UK
Highly Commended: CLIC Sargent
Winner: Diabetes UK

Charity of the Year with an income of over £30m

Highly Commended: United Response
Winner: Alternative Futures Group

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