By Ben Robinson, Regional Manager CSJF, Yorkshire and the Humber
Just hours after the Prime Minister announced a July date for the general election, over 80 previous CSJ award winners were in 10 Downing Street to celebrate the amazing work they do and 20 years of the CSJ charity awards.
The event held last Wednesday by the CSJ and CSJ Foundation was to celebrate 20 years of CSJ award winners, bringing together outstanding grassroots organisations from across the four corners of the UK. We were privileged to be joined by charities from all annual awards, dating right back to the first CSJ awards in 2005.
It was immensely powerful to have so many outstanding change makers in one room, from charities who specialise in enabling people to break free of addiction, to charities who give young people a more positive future when they have nowhere else to turn, and everything in between.
The celebration felt even more poignant given the announcement of a general election 6 weeks to the day. These amazing charities have the key insights to shape a social justice manifesto for any incoming government, they know their communities inside out, have a deep understanding of their issue area, and perhaps most importantly know what works in setting people free of cycles of disadvantage.
We enjoyed immensely celebrating with our previous CSJ award winners and look forward to continuing to work with them closely to shape our national policy work.
In addition to the inspirational charity leaders in the room, we were also thrilled to be joined by the Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel De Souza, Journalist and Broadcaster Camilla Tominey and many more friends of the CSJ.
While MPs, understandably, were unable to join due to the day’s news. We also heard an excellent speech from Fraser Nelson, Editor of the Spectator Magazine. Focusing on the power of frontlines charities and social enterprises, and their ability to show the way for politicians and decision-makers on what true social change looks like and the impact it has on communities.
CEO of the CSJ, Andy Cook, also gave a great speech emphasising why the CSJ works with grassroots organisations and why we continue to run the CSJ awards 20 years on. Andy, before joining the CSJ, used to run his own frontline charity in the Midlands who went on to win a CSJ award. And described such small, local, and effective charities as the ‘backbone of Britain’ and the true change makers of the nation.
Following this celebration of amazing frontline charities and social enterprises, the CSJ Foundation has this week published a report named ‘Underfunded and Overlooked’ to highlight the experiences of excellent frontline organisations across the country who continually have to fight to compete for funding and feel their impact is unrecognised by many.
A week on from our celebration, the wheels are now firmly in motion for this year’s CSJ awards. With the finalists set to be announced during Small Charity Week, and a celebration of new award winners later in the year.
From everyone at the CSJ a huge thank you, to all the amazing grassroots charities and social enterprises we work with across the UK, for everything you do.
If you are interested in joining our Alliance of excellent local charities and social enterprises, please click here.
