The inaugural MK Charity Awards, organised by MK Community Foundation as part of its 40th-anniversary year, will take place at The Stables on June 29.
It is the first awards ceremony of its kind in the city, dedicated entirely to the charities, community groups, businesses and individuals making life in Milton Keynes fairer and better. The response has been striking.
Applications flooded in from across the city, and the 22-strong judging panel, drawn from business, education, health, housing and community life, spent two rigorous rounds assessing them.
“What stands out is not just the volume of applications, but the depth of care, creativity and determination behind them,” said Ian Revell, CEO of MK Community Foundation.
Now, the finalists have been announced, and the breadth of work they represent tells its own story about this city. In Education, sponsored by The Open University, judges chose Acorn Early Years, Harry’s Rainbow and Worktree as finalists. The Health and Wellbeing Award in Memory of Roger Fennemore, sponsored by Leap, sees The Arthur Ellis Mental Health Foundation, Mind BLMK and MK SNAP competing. The Arts and Heritage category, sponsored by Brenda and Simon Ingram, features Inter- Action MK, MOTUS and the Ukraine Appeal. For Poverty and Disadvantage, sponsored by Gail Hawks, the finalists are Girl Pack, MK Melting Pot and UnityMK.
BTG Eddisons sponsors Work and Local Economy, where SOFEA, Works for Us, and Worktree are finalists. Crime and Safety, sponsored by Happy Days, spotlights Alternatives to Conflict, C2C Social Action Charity and MK Act. The Environment and Transport category, sponsored by Dame Ann Limb, celebrates Community Boat Electra, Community Trees and Cycle Saviours.
Individual recognition sits at the heart of this year’s awards, too. The Volunteer of the Year category, sponsored by MHA, honours Deborah Lewis, Hannah Brown and Maria Affa. Business for Good, sponsored by ICAEW, recognises Cranswick Convenience Foods, MK Community Boat Electra and Sophie etc. The Transformational Leadership Award in Memory of Carol Baume goes to finalists Jennifer Hill, Tim Davies and Vanessa Holmes.
And the Equity and Inclusion Award in Memory of Ranjit Singh recognises The Arthur Ellis Mental Health Foundation, Camphill and Q:alliance. The finalists are not just names on a programme. They are the people often holding the hands of the most vulnerable in the community and providing the care that makes the city a good place to be.
The ceremony is a chance for Milton Keynes to say ‘we see you’ to the whole voluntary, community, and cultural sector in the city. The evening itself will be a night to remember: a joyful, unbuttoned celebration of the people and projects shaping the city’s future.
To find out more information, visit their website.
