The support charity Family Action has won Charity of the Year at the Third Sector Awards.
The winners were announced at a lunchtime reception in central London, hosted by the comedian Zoe Lyons.
Family Action, which was named Charity of the Year in the over £5m income bracket, impressed judges with its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The charity increased the capacity of its free helpline to support almost 10,000 people with issues ranging from financial problems and parenting challenges to family relationships and mental health issues.
The food waste reduction charity The Bread and Butter Thing was named Charity of the Year in the under £5m bracket.
Other winners included Amanda Khozi Mukwashi, who was given the Charity Chief Executive award for organisations with annual incomes of more than £5m, while Adam Tulloch of Total Insight Theatre won the same award for charities with lower incomes.
WaterAid’s ‘The Girl Who Built a Rocket’ campaign, about a Madagascan girl who dreams of reaching Mars to find clean water, won Marketing Campaign of the Year and Best Charity Film.
The Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes was given the Small Charity, Big Achiever award for its work to inspire bikers to provide the NHS with a professional rapid-response courier service free of charge.
The actor Alison Steadman was named Celebrity Charity Champion for her work to support the end of life charity Marie Curie, which cared for her mother during the final years of her life.
Two special awards recognising charities’ response to the coronavirus pandemic were Frontline Team of the Year, which was won by the Turkish Cypriot Community Association, and Best Service Delivery Innovation, which went to the heating community interest company CAFgas for its Nanny Biscuit 2020 Coronavirus Relief Effort, which aims to promote good mental and physical health and reduce loneliness and isolation.
Stamma won Communications Campaign of the Year for its ‘Find the Right Words’ campaign, while Age UK was named Fundraising Team of the Year.
The full list of winners
Best Charity Film – WaterAid for ‘The Girl Who Built a Rocket’
Best Use of Social Media – Using TikTok to reach younger audiences for Citizen’s Advice
Big Impact Award – End Child Food Poverty Coalition
Brand development – Rewilding Britain
Breakthrough of the Year – The Jack Hazeldine Foundation for JHF Community Outdoor Classroom
Celebrity Charity Champion – Alison Steadman, Marie Curie
Charity Chair of the Year – Dr Hilary Cass OBE, Together for Short Lives
Charity Partnership of the Year – School Food Matters, Impact on Urban Health, Chefs in Schools for Breakfast Boxes
Communications Agency of the Year – Forster Communications
Communications Campaign of the Year – Stamma, the British Stammering Association for ‘Find the Right Words’
Communications Team of the Year – Midlands Air Ambulance Charity
Corporate Partnership of the Year – Autistica and Fujitsu
Covid-19: Frontline Team of The Year – Turkish Cypriot Community Association
Covid-19: Best Service Delivery Innovation – CAFgas for Nanny Biscuit 2020 Coronavirus Relief Effort
Digital Champion of the Year – Hannah Mudge, The Leprosy Mission
Digital Innovation of the Year – Cherie Blair Foundation for Women for HerVenture for Women Entrepreneurs
Enterprise Award – East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices
Finance Team of the Year – NatWest Social & Community Capital
Fundraising Campaign – Aberlour Children’s Charity for Urgent Assistance Fund
Fundraising Team of the Year – Age UK
Marketing Campaign of the Year – WaterAid for ‘The Girl Who Built a Rocket’
Rising Chief Executive – Steve Smith, Havens Hospices
Rising Star Award – Christina Adane, Bite Back 2030
Small Charity, Big Achiever – The Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes
Unsung Hero Award – Jennifer Drewer, Phab Life
Volunteer of the Year – Lin Vong, Ignite Hubs
Volunteer Team of the Year – The Bread and Butter Thing