Inspiring Communicator Awards

Best Collaboration (agency and charity)

Winners: CoppaFeel! (charity) and The Saltways’ (agency) collaboration to develop and share the learning from ‘Sue’s Story’, a legacy film project which encourages audiences aged 50+ to give to a youth-focused charity.

Shortlist:

• Haven House Children’s Hospice (charity) and MOREVER (agency) with ‘Through Your Eyes’, a fundraising film which reshapes hospice storytelling.
• Young Women’s Trust (charity) and Hawkins Laxton & Co (agency) on the Rights Here, Rights Now campaign, shaped with young women to raise awareness and call for changes around workplace rights.
• Children First (charity) and Electrify (agency) with an animated awareness campaign for the charity’s support services, bringing advice to Scotland’s children and families.

Best Collaboration (freelancer and charity)

Winners: The Stroke Association (charity) and Eleanor Stanley (freelancer) who brought lived experiences and insights together to produce a vital and compassionate resource about causes and treatments for children who have had a stroke.

Shortlist:

• SongBird Survival (charity) and Helen Deakin (freelancer) teamed up to bring scientific insight and strategic communications together to put songbird conservation into national conversations.
• United St Saviour’s Charity (charity) and Lizzie Lynch (freelancer) launch Appleby Blue almshouse as a blueprint for better cities, putting the charity on the map as a national thought leader on ageing, housing and community.
• Wellbeing of Women (charity) and Beth Granter (freelancer) worked together on The Period Symptom Checker to give women the information they need to deal with debilitating period symptoms.

Inclusive Comms Award

Winners: The Communications and Policy and the Public Affairs and Campaigns teams at Guide Dogs for their commitment to inclusive comms practices in their campaign outcomes and processes.

Shortlist:

• Clare Haines, Project and Lifestyle Learning Manager at Harpenden Mencap, for her communication style, bringing to conversations an open heart, active listening skills, and “meeting people where they are”.
• The Communications Team at Breaking Barriers for their continued work to support refugee communities, championing lived experiences and reenforcing their inclusive message.
• Bhumika Singh, Communications Officer at Barnet Mencap, for pushing inclusive practices at the charity and their partner networks, delivering accessible comms with examples like default Easy Reads, captioned videos, co-production and alt text.

Best In-house Campaign

Winners: The #ValueOurLove campaign by the Kinship team, working alongside carers in their network to raise kinship care up political and media agendas to unprecedented levels.

Shortlist:

• The Cost of Cuts by Scope was a multi-channel campaign that mobilised thousands to oppose government proposals on disability benefit costs and influenced new plans, saving hundreds of thousands of people from plunging into poverty.
• Campaigning by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service brought together several organisations and parliamentarians in a coalition to influence a significant historical moment in reproductive rights this year: women being removed from criminal law relating to abortions.
• The Leave for Every Loss campaign by The Miscarriage Association achieved a monumental goal to see miscarriage now recognised as a bereavement by law, helping to challenge stigma and update workplace rights.

Rising Star

Winner: Martyn Dolton, Fundraising and Marketing Manager at the Hamelin Trust, was nominated for transforming the visibility and influence of the charity, building a comms function from scratch as a “future sector leader”.

Shortlist:

• Leanne Coomber, Digital and Communications Officer at Bristol and Weston Hospitals Charity, embodies the charity’s values through her work, taking the charity from strength to strength with their digital comms and developing their channels.
• Amy Lynch, Digital Communications Officer at Tommy’s, is the charity’s social media expert, launching their TikTok channel and developing their responsive content – praised for an impressive acumen for learning and collaboration.
• Laura Whitehead, Communications and Marketing Officer at Kids Inspire, for increasing their social media presence, mentoring volunteers, and delivering exceptional comms to engage their audiences.

Strategic Leader of the Year

Winner: Ayesha Farah, Shifting the Power Communications and Advocacy Manager at Comic Relief, was nominated for exceptional work in influencing practices that shift power in the international development sector. Highlights include groundbreaking communications labs, working with 10 Downing Street and Debate Mate to engage 6,000 young people with international development.

Shortlist:

• Ranjani Dhanabalakrishnan, Internal Communications Manager at the St Giles Trust, transformed the internal comms at the organisation into a “trusted, inclusive system co-designed with lived experience colleagues”, which has increased internal confidence and improved productivity.
• Jayne Price, Care and Prevention Manager, whose leadership has transformed carer support in her area by rooting the work in inclusive partnerships. Jayne was described as someone who “communicates with purpose, empowers unheard voices and drives change that resonates.
• Rebecca Wood, CEO of Tom’s Trust, was praised in her nomination for her combination of strategic vision and compassionate leadership, telling colleagues why they are valued and coaching them to tap into their strengths.

Team of the Year

Winners: The Communications, Engagement and Fundraising team at ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity has supercharged its visibility as a charity, reaching 1.6 million people online. This digital comms team were described as “the backbone” of the charity’s services.

Shortlist:

• The Communications Team at The Circle use global feminist principles as their north star “to create a thriving culture that delivers big impact”, reaching millions and championing a fairer and safer world for women.
• The Marketing Team at the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund were recognised for “punching above their weight”, gaining visibility beyond their region. They showcase this niche but emotive area of work, keeping ethics and impact front of mind.
• The Strategic Marketing Team at NSPCC have been focusing on wellbeing, team building and skills development tools to empower the organisation and increase their support and results for their community.