Charities supporting women in prison, carers, and providing free school uniform to children living in poverty are among voluntary sector organisations that have been praised for their good governance.

The six winners of this year’s Charity Governance Awards include Women in Prison, which scooped the board equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) award for its work nationally to support women in the criminal justice system, many of whom have encountered challenges including abuse, substance misuse, debt and unemployment.

Judges praised an embedding of EDI in its board’s work three years ago adding that its trustees understand “that none of its strategic aims are possible without a clear understanding” of equality, inclusion and diversity".

Also winning the EDI award was disability charity Merton Centre for Independent Living.

“The charity is working to address the marginalisation of Disabled People and make a real difference in Merton and the wider community,” said the judges.

Winning the improving impact in small charities award for organisations with three or less staff was Edinburgh School Uniform Bank, which provides free school uniforms to children in families living in poverty in the city.

Judges were particularly impressed with the charity’s “greater awareness since the pandemic of the education attainment gap associated with poverty”.

Meanwhile, the transforming with digital award went to Carers in Bedfordshire, which supports more than 10,500 unpaid family carers of all ages.

Its digital transformation plan has helped it to improve its registrations processes, develop its website and improve reporting of data, including building live data visualisation dashboards.

“The digital transformation project has improved outcomes for beneficiaries and increased efficiency in how the charity serves them,” said the judges.

“Staff are able to spend 33% more time on frontline services, and the amount of time spent on administration processes has decreased by 59%.”

Charity Governance Awards 2023: Congratulations to our Winners and Runners Up - https://t.co/31sTO8O2Va#CharityGov23 pic.twitter.com/mY3ZGGAtI9

— Charity Governance Awards (@charitygovaward) June 12, 2023

Other winners are MQ Mental Health Research, which won the from systemic challenge to meaningful change award and Depden Care Farm, which was honoured in the award category for improving impact in small charities with a staff of between four and 30 staff.

“Many congratulations to our inspirational winners and everyone who made it onto the shortlist. It’s heartening to see that ingenuity, commitment and passion are thriving in the sector, often within challenging circumstances,” said awards steering committee chair Deepak Nambisan.

“This year, we’ve been struck by the impressive showing from the country’s smallest charities – more than half of all nominees are charities with fewer than 30 employees. This is a shining example of how trustees with foresight, imagination and an authentic connection to their beneficiaries can overcome barriers and achieve great things.”

The annual award scheme, which is organised by the The Clothworkers’ Company in partnership with among others New Philanthropy Capital, celebrates the work of trustees and effective governance. All winners receive £5,000 and runners up are handed £1,000.

All gain membership with the Association of Chairs and training for new trustees through the Cause4Trustee Leadership Programme.

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