THE nationally-acclaimed Charity Today Awards has announced details of this year’s finalists in each of the awards’ categories. The finalist announcement comes with further news of a revised format to the programme following coronavirus safety concerns. 

Charity Today’s Lee Rayment founder of the longstanding awards said:

“It’s been a very demoralising first six months of 2020 for everyone in the country, or in the world in fact, but we hope that the revised awards format which allows for our continuation for this year will bring about some joy and awareness for our finalist charities.

“We did not want people attending an event fearful of others; it’s not what the event is about. It’s about people and connection. The circumstances and mindsets of people are not going to be in the right place anytime soon to enjoy such an occasion.

“So, let’s do what Charity Today does best, raise awareness of some fantastic causes and bring some much-needed smiles to peoples’ faces.”

The Charity Today Awards 2020 will conclude with a public vote and revert to the social media format implemented in previous years on Twitter from Monday 22 June 2020.

Over the last few months, the judges have been deliberating virtually and have drawn up three finalists for each of the respective categories.

Here is a full list of this year’s finalists:

Health & Social Care Award – Voting opens Monday 22 June (for seven days)

• Martin House Hospice Care for Children and Young People
• Harry’s Hydrocephalus Awareness Trust (Harry’s HAT)
• Hestia

Fundraiser of the Year – Voting opens Monday 29 June (for seven days)

• Chris Leek – Parkinson’s UK
• Les Hayhoe – Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service
• Cheryl Rhodes & The Gorse Academies Trust

Charity Film of the Year – Voting opens Monday 6 July (for seven days)

• Prior’s Court Documentary
• Kidney Research UK’s – Saving Lives Film
• Down’s Syndrome Association – Workfit Film

The James E. Smith Special Recognition Award – Voting opens 13 July (for seven days)

• Zoe Lee – Strode Park
• Andy Sellins – The Change Foundation
• Rhys Dickinson – Embrace CVOC

Partnership of the Year – Voting opens 27 July (for seven days)

• CLIC Sargent and Morrisons
• The Theodora Children’s Charity and University Hospital Southampton
• The Lewis Foundation and From Me To You

Disability Impact Award – Voting opens 3 August (for seven days)

• The Coach House
• Lord’s Taverners
• Potential Kids

Humanitarian Award – Voting opens 10 August (for seven days)

• Kim Ferguson – British Heart Foundation
• MCKS Charitable Foundation UK
• Shai’s Smile

Community Impact Award – Voting opens 17 August (for seven days)

• The Heart of England Community Foundation – Coronavirus Resilience Fund
• The Lewis Foundation
• Inspire Malawi’s Banda Hill Project

Volunteer of the Year – Voting opens 24 August (for seven days)

• Alan Bell – The Scottish Centre for Personal Safety
• John Hughes – Freshfields Animal Rescue
• Rosemary Norris – Strode Park Foundation

Charity of the Year – Voting opens 31 August (for seven days)

• Francis House Children’s Hospice
• Smile Train
• Shooting Star Children’s Hospice

For more information, please follow the Charity Today Awards on Twitter @CharityAwards.