Winners 2013

Association of Jersey Charities Jersey Charity Awards 2013 - Judges comments

SMALL - Shortlist:

• Caring Hands Charitable Trust
• La Motte Street Youth Project
• Triumph over Phobia
• Donna Annand Melanoma Charity
• Variety Club of Jersey 

Introduction

The standard of entries in the Jersey Charity Awards 2013 small category was indeed exceptional and extremely varied, all are all deserving of an award and recognition.

From the tiny Donna Annand Melanoma Charity, which offers mole clinics, run entirely by volunteers, to Caring Hands Charitable Trust, which helps men of all ages and their families who are suffering in their lives by providing emergency accommodation in a caring and supportive environment, and more recently a comprehensive outreach service.

Triumph over Phobia, which offers weekly ‘self help’ meetings to help sufferers of OCD and other phobias, has been working away diligently over the last 21 years, helping people to become ex- sufferers and lead more fulfilling lives.

The entry from La Motte Street Youth Project, which offers a wide range of quality creative activities for youth across all the parishes, really should be applauded, as they provide inclusive, cost effective creative industries experiences that help youths develop social skills and improved job prospects. These unique and innovative public performances also encourage team work and ‘real life’ performance opportunities.

The Variety Club of Jersey, which strives to make a lasting difference to disabled and disadvantaged children on the island, also does such a superb job. We agree whole heartedly that they should be proud of their Child of the Year initiative.

 

3rd place:      Variety Club of Jersey

2nd place:      La Motte Street Youth Project

Winner:        Donna Annand Melanoma Charity

This innovative service seeks to raise awareness of malignant melanoma in Jersey as early detection Is key to survival. Set up in June 2011 by the family and friends of Donna, who sadly passed away that year from stage IV malignant melanoma, her wish was that the disease be highlighted to improve people’s chances of survival.

It’s not catered for by anyone else on the island and it has really helped bring the issue of melanomas home, particularly as it is so relevant to all of us here in Jersey. The work was very collaboratively executed and we liked the way that the team had learnt from their mistakes and adapted by finding better venues for the drop in clinics and using allocated time slot bookings. It was a well put together and thought through campaign.

 

 

(pictured here; Geoff Cook of Jersey Finance, Haley Esnouf, Emma Parmiter and Louisa McInnes of Donna Annand Melanoma Charity and the Lieutenant Governor Sir John McColl)

MEDIUM - Shortlist:

• Community Savings Ltd
• Brighter Futures
• Headway Jersey Ltd
• Helping Wings
• Mind Jersey

Introduction

The entries in the medium sized charity category were again of an excellent standard, with many long term, innovative and interesting initiatives, reflecting the diverse range of services delivered by organisations across the island.

From the team of staff and volunteers who run Community Savings who are very much unsung heroes, providing an invaluable service to people who are experiencing difficult financial situations but who also help to educate and empower people to prevent financial difficulties. They do a great job, in, as they say – in not such a sexy arena.

Headway Jersey Ltd continues to help people who have had a brain injury, their families and carers and through their recent mail drop and awareness raising campaign – Making Headway - they have increased GP referrals significantly with over 20 new potential members making contact recently.

Helping Wings was another entry in this category, they have enabled over 180 disadvantaged children of all ages to share the exhilaration and fulfilment of flying. They also have exciting plans to purchase equipment that will enable children with lower limb disabilities to control planes.

Committed to making a long term difference to people’s lives, we applaud the work of Mind Jersey and the work of Brighter Futures, who are committed to improving the life chances of families, particularly those from troubled backgrounds.

It was a hard won contest with so many deserving causes that we wish all could have won an award.

3rd place:      Headway Jersey Ltd

2nd place:     Community Savings Ltd

Winner:        Mind Jersey

This was a very well written application of a well thought through project that involved the complete refurbishment of their charity shop in New Street. We loved the fact that it was very collaborative, involved so many volunteers from all walks of life and included working with the corporate sector and other charities.

They had a clear view of the timetable and objectives, which was not only about raising income levels in the shop but about providing an improved customer and volunteer/staff experience.

 

(pictured here; Geoff Cook of Jersey Finance, James Le Feuvre of MIND Jersey and the Lieutenant Governor Sir John McColl)

LARGE - Shortlist:

• Grace Trust Jersey
• Centre Point Trust
• Jersey Women’s Refuge
• The Shelter Trust
• Jersey Cheshire Home

Introduction

Entries for this category of the award were of a very high quality indeed, and the judges again found it difficult to decide the winner as we felt all were worthy of recognition but after much debate the winner was unanimously agreed upon.

From the moving story presented by The Grace Trust Jersey, which provides such a wide range of invaluable ‘hands on’ support to the poor, sick and needy in the community. Their Art in the Park weekly class and Park Life choir have been very good at helping to restore self esteem and provide a sense of community. We are once again grateful to have Park Life Choir for being here with us today.

To Jersey Cheshire Home which for 30 years have provided residential care for adults with disabilities and The Centre Point Trust, which provides quality, affordable child care to support working and lone parents.

The Shelter Trust was another entry in this category, which provides a wide range of support services for homeless people, giving them access to accommodation, education, employment and training – key factors for people to gain good health and well being.

The work undertaken by Jersey Women’s Refuge, whose aims are to empower all women affected by domestic violence, is a unique service and through their innovative awareness raising campaign, they have encouraged more women to seek out help and encouraged others to recognise issues.

 

3rd place:      The Shelter Trust

2nd place:     Jersey Women’s Refuge

Winner:       Jersey Cheshire Home

Jersey Cheshire Home support a very broad spectrum of the disabled population in Jersey, providing services to meet very specific needs they reach over 200 external users.

In this their 30th ‘Year to Inspire’ they have set out to use their celebrations to raise awareness and the profile of the home in the community, as well as a steep target of £300k to install a new main lift, extend their therapy and rehabilitation activities and boost their fleet of vehicles to enable more external users to have access to their facilities.

This was a very clearly defined, well written application which outlined precise targets and objectives.

 

(pictured here; Geoff Cook of Jersey Finance, Anne Appleton head of care Jersey Cheshire Home, the Lieutenant Governor Sir John McColl and David Lord CEO of Jersey Cheshire Home)