Charities championing women’s rights celebrate joint win at Charity Governance Awards

Two charities championing women’s rights are the joint winners of this year’s Improving Impact award (4-25 staff) in the Charity Governance Awards 2019. Muslim Women’s Network UK and Derry Well Women won the award: one of eight categories, each of which saw winners take home a £5,000 prize with £40,000 awarded to charities in total.     Muslim Women’s Network UK won for its range of services that help tens of thousands of people, including the only national faith and culturally aware helpline for Muslim women. Derry Well Women won for identifying a gap in support for women carers and subsequently creating ‘The Carer’s Agenda’ which has provided practical and social support for over 250 women carers in its first year.     Dementia UK won this year’s Managing Turnaround award. The trustees and new Chief Executive transformed the charity’s fortunes from facing possible closure within six months to almost trebling its annual income and reaching close to five times the number of service users. SignHealth won the Board Diversity & Inclusivity award for its commitment to creating a trustee board that is largely representative of those it serves. As well as achieving a more equitable gender balance, over half of trustees are deaf and board members represent different racial backgrounds, age groups and professional fields. Other winners included Parents and Children Together (PACT), Coventry & Warwickshire Mind, Green’s Windmill Trust and YMCA North Tyneside. A full list of the winners and shortlisted entrants can be found on the Charity Governance Awards site. The organisers have also put together a list of resources for charities and trustees, under ‘Advice and Resources’ on the site. The awards are organised by The Clothworkers’ Company, partnered with NPC (New Philanthropy Capital), Prospectus, and Reach Volunteering. Judges included Dawn Austwick (CEO, The National Lottery Community Fund), Vinay Nair (Co-founder, Lightful), Dan Corry (CEO, New Philanthropy Capital), David Gold (CEO, Prospectus) and Janet Thorne (CEO, Reach Volunteering). Michael Jarvis, who chairs the Awards for the organisers The Clothworkers’ Company, said: “Congratulations to all the winners – and the shortlisted candidates should also be proud – this was, yet again, a field of a very high standard. These creative, hard-working and inspiring trustees and their colleagues deserve to be celebrated. “I would encourage everyone in the third sector to read the stories of our winning charities – these real-life experiences and innovative ideas could help any charity seeking to improve their own governance. It also reminds us all that by improving governance a charity can dramatically improve the lives of those it serves.”   Main image: All winners in Charity Governance Awards 2019 (photo Kate Darkins Photography)

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