Ten GSK IMPACT Award winners showcase outstanding work of health and wellbeing charities in 2026

Ten  small and medium-sized charities have been named as winners of the 2026 GSK IMPACT Awards for their exceptional work improving health and wellbeing, awarded by  global  biopharma company  GSK in partnership with The King’s Fund.  

This year’s award winners are announced against the backdrop of a challenging financial environment for small and local charities while demand for their services continues to grow. Despite this, the award judges were impressed by the unwavering determination of the winners to meet the needs of their communities.  

The ten winning charities took part in a rigorous selection and assessment process and were selected from a record number of award entries. Now in their 29th year, the GSK IMPACT Awards are delivered in partnership with leading health and care charity, The King’s Fund. Since its inception in 1997, more than 570 charities have received a GSK IMPACT Award. The awards are designed to recognise the exceptional work of small and medium-sized charities working to improve health and wellbeing in communities across the UK. The ten winners will receive £40,000 in unrestricted funding, as well as expert support and leadership development provided by The King’s Fund. 

The ten winners of the 2026 GSK IMPACT Awards are: 

• Age UK Norwich, supporting older people to stay healthier for longer through health coaching, befriending, clubs, trips and advocacy work 

• Can-Survive, a Manchester-based charity supporting culturally diverse communities living with and beyond cancer 

• Colostomy UK, a national charity supporting people living with a stoma through offering practical help, raising awareness and fighting the stigma so no one faces life with a stoma alone  

• Create Strength Group, supporting people to recover from substance misuse in Bradford, improving health and wellbeing, preventing relapse, and developing resilience, life skills and productive pathways that enable individuals to thrive 

• Empowerment Charity Lancashire, serving disadvantaged communities in Blackpool and the Fylde Coast, empowering local people to bring about change to their health and wellbeing 

• Encompass Southwest, tackling rural homelessness, poverty and health inequalities in South West England through providing trauma informed and person-centred support 

• The Green House, working to break the silence, stigma and shame of child sexual abuse, and through the power of innovation help families to rebuild their lives after abuse 

• Happy Baby Community transforms lives for pregnant women and new mothers who have fled war, trafficking and violence to seek safety for themselves and their babies, by creating a sanctuary across Greater London and the South East where they and their babies can truly thrive 

• Rainbow Project, an LGBTQIA+ charity changing lives for LGBTQIA+ people and their families in Northern Ireland through tailored health and wellbeing services that mitigate the impact of discrimination, as well as training, campaigning and policy work to eliminate its root causes 

• Rape & Sexual Abuse Service Highland, providing specialist support and advocacy for anyone affected by sexual violence across the Scottish Highlands 

One of the main goals of the GSK IMPACT Awards programme is to support leaders in the charity sector. To achieve this goal, all winners are invited to take part in a tailored leadership programme run by The King’s Fund. To continue their development, they are also invited to join the GSK IMPACT Awards Network, a UK-wide network of almost 140 previous award winners who work together to build leadership capability, share new approaches and provide mutual support. The winning charities will receive their awards at a ceremony at The King's Fund on Wednesday 13 May 2026. The overall winner will be announced on the night and awarded an additional £10,000.   

Stephanie Dean, Director of Charitable Investment Programmes at GSK, said: ‘The winners of the GSK IMPACT Awards exemplify innovation, strong partnerships and collaboration in delivering essential health and wellbeing support to communities in need. Their dedication to serving the community and evaluating their impact demonstrates outstanding leadership for the broader sector and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.’ 

Lisa Weaks, Senior Associate at The King’s Fund, said: ‘Each year, the calibre of organisations applying for the GSK IMPACT Awards continues to inspire us. Charities are operating in an increasingly challenging environment, under pressure to do more with less while demand for their services continues to rise. Despite this, their dedication, creativity and resilience shines through. At a time when health and care services are under significant strain, these charities remain a lifeline for the people and communities who need them most.’ 

Notes to editors     

 Photos, interviews and case studies are available upon request. For further information please contact Frank Rigby, Media and External Engagement Executive at The King’s Fund on 020 7307 2585 or [email protected]   

GSK IMPACT Awards    

• The GSK IMPACT Awards, run in partnership with The King’s Fund, are designed to recognise the outstanding work of community-based health care charities. For more information visit www.gsk.com/en-gb/responsibility/charitable-investments/#UKInvestments   

• The awards are open to small and medium-sized charities working in health and wellbeing with an annual income between £150,000 and £3 million that are at least three years old. The 2027 GSK IMPACT Awards will open for applications on 1 July 2026. For more information and to apply visit www.kingsfund.org.uk/gskimpactawards.     

• Since its inception in 1997, more than 570 charities have received a GSK IMPACT Award and funding totalling over £9 million.     

• This year £430,000 in unrestricted prize money will be awarded to UK charities through the GSK IMPACT Awards. Five runners-up will receive £4,000 each. Ten winners will each receive £40,000 in unrestricted funding, film assets, a set of promotional photographs of their services, as well as access to training and development activities estimated to be worth £13,500. The ten winning charities are also invited to join the GSK IMPACT Awards Network, a UK-wide network of almost 140 previous award winners who work together to develop leaders, find new ways of working and provide mutual support.     

• At the award ceremony at The King’s Fund in London on 13 May 2026, an overall winner will be announced, and they will receive an additional £10,000, making a total of £50,000.  

• The 2026 winners went through a rigorous assessment, including a half-day in-depth discussion with an independent assessor, and were selected by a judging panel of health and charity experts.  

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. Find out more at gsk.com     

The King's Fund is an independent charity working to improve people's health. Our vision is a world where everyone can live a healthy life. Our mission is to inspire hope and build confidence for positive change. We achieve this through expert insights and original research, developing leaders and their organisations, convening, and strategic, collaborative partnerships.