ScottishPower Foundation announces winners of its annual ceremony.

Eight UK-based charities, from Glasgow to North Wales, will share a slice of a £30,000 award fund after being announced as winners and runners-up at the ScottishPower Foundation Awards.

The Awards ceremony took place at ScottishPower’s HQ in Glasgow and celebrated the organisations which the ScottishPower Foundation has supported this year. In January, the Foundation announced it would donate more than £1 million to projects across the country, supporting local initiatives in education, the arts, environment and health and the Awards ceremony provides an opportunity to bring everyone together to recognise and celebrate their achievements.

Organisations were judged in four categories including Education, Innovative Project, Community Impact and Charity Champion with the winning organisation in each category receiving an additional £5,000 funding boost and four runners-up receiving £2,500 each. The funding will go on to further support the work of the charities’ initiatives being run throughout 2018.

The highlight of the evening was when the Barker family from Brighton were crowned Charity Champions for their incredible fundraising achievements for The Bendrigg Trust in Kendal. The Bendrigg Trust promotes “achieving through adventure for all abilities” and Jim Barker, who has Cerebral Palsy with spastic quadriplegia and learning disabilities, has been participating in its courses for over two decades. During this period, his extended family has tirelessly raised funds for the charity that changed Jim’s life for the better. Overall the family has personally raised £25,000 for the Trust and facilitated another £40,000. 

The Bendrigg Trust will put the extra funding towards helping carers to accompany people with disabilities on adventure trips. The £5,000 boost will allow dozens of carers to accompany friends and family members on Bendrigg’s life-changing experiences.

Sarah Garman from the Bendrigg Trust said: “The entire Barker family are charity champions in our eyes and truly exemplify what Bendrigg stands for. They are always on hand to support our charity through fundraising and awareness raising – whether this be through the Great North Run, garden parties or match-funding through their employer. We are delighted the ScottishPower Foundation has recognised their efforts and helped them secure even more funds for the Trust.”

The full list of winners is as follows:

Community Impact / Engagement Award

Winner - Manchester YMCA
Runner-up - Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod

Education Award

Winner - Outward Bound Trust
Runner-up - Bangor University

Innovative Project Award

Winner - Music in Hospitals & Care
Runner-up - National Theatre of Scotland

Charity Champion Award

Winner - Bendrigg Trust
Runner-up - Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice

Ann McKechin, Trustee and Executive Officer of the ScottishPower Foundation, said: “This year we have worked with some truly inspirational projects that are setting the bar high, from raising attainment levels and supporting those at risk and in need to creating pathways for future leaders of our society. We’re very privileged to work alongside them and see at first hand the impact on the many people who they are supporting this year.

“The ScottishPower Foundation Awards is an opportunity for us to celebrate the milestones of these organisations, bring them together to foster working relationships and of course, provide additional financial support to those projects which we feel have really gone above and beyond.”

The ScottishPower Foundation was established in 2013 with the aim of making a significant and lasting contribution to society, enhancing the lives of people living in communities throughout the UK. It provides funding to registered charities which are involved in the advancement of education, environmental protection, citizenship and community development. The Foundation also supports organisations working in science, the arts, heritage or culture as well as the prevention of poverty and relief of disability or other disadvantage.

Notes to editors:

About the ScottishPower Foundation

The ScottishPower Foundation is a registered Scottish charity (SC043862) and a company limited by guarantee (SC445116). The Foundation’s aim is to make a significant and lasting contribution to society and enhance the quality of life in local communities. It provides funding to registered charities for the following purposes: the advancement of education; the advancement of environmental protection; the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science; the prevention or relief of poverty and the relief of those in need by reason of disability or other disadvantage; the advancement of citizenship and community development.