2012 GSK IMPACT Award winners
This year there were two joint overall winners: Target Ovarian Cancer and the Women's Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, Cornwall.
Watch a short video of the overall winners and find out more about each organisation on the links below.
Target Ovarian Cancer
Target Ovarian Cancer is one of the two overall winners of the 2012 GSK IMPACT Awards. The staff were awarded £35,000 plus two places on the IMPACT Awards Development Network training course.
Supported by more than 400 volunteers, Target Ovarian Cancer is the national ovarian cancer charity working to save lives and support women diagnosed with this type of cancer. They have run a national awareness campaign and directly influenced the way GPs diagnose the disease with an online learning tool.
What the judges thought
'It is an incredibly professional organisation that has achieved a huge amount in just three years. They have moved ovarian cancer up GPs' agenda and provided them with the tools to better identify the disease.'
The Women's Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre
The Women's Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (WRSAC) is one of the two overall winners of the 2012 GSK IMPACT Awards. The staff were awarded £35,000 plus two places on the IMPACT Awards Development Network training course.
Based in Cornwall, WRSAC provides support services, advocacy and counselling to women and girls who have experienced any form of sexual or domestic violence. Previously, there was no secure way to refer women from hospital, but now WRSAC works with health care providers to enable this. The charity also offers a 'pattern changing' programme to empower and enable women to make positive changes in their own lives.
What the judges thought
'WRSAC is an exemplary organisation providing life-changing services in imaginative ways. It has worked hard to ensure that better services and interventions are available for abused women. It is working in a complex area and has demonstrated that it can work effectively with multiple service providers.'
Age UK Cheshire East
The staff at Age UK Cheshire East were awarded £25,000 plus two places on the IMPACT Awards Development Network training course.
1,500 people are helped by Age UK Cheshire East each week. The charity provides innovative services – including keep fit, choirs and their 'Men in Sheds' programme – and helps to save hospital bed days by helping people to find appropriate care homes.
What the judges thought
'There is a bit of sparkle about this organisation. It is well and energetically run, with a good range of activities and a robust approach to measuring return on investment.'
Beacon Counselling
Beacon Counselling was awarded £25,000 plus two places on the IMPACT Awards Development Network training course.
Beacon Counselling improves the lives of people affected by mental or emotional distress by providing counselling and related services. Its innovative 'Confidence' and 'Stressbuster' programmes promote early intervention and help a wide range of people in Stockport and its surrounding areas.
What the judges thought
'Its breadth of services is impressive, clearly targeted at local need, and it is able to demonstrate real results. The services are remarkably good value, providing support for 1,500 people on less than £170,000.'
Blackburn with Darwen Healthy Living
Blackburn with Darwen Healthy Living is one of eight winners of the 2012 GSK IMPACT Awards. It was awarded £25,000 plus two places on the IMPACT Awards Development Network training course.
Blackburn with Darwen Healthy Living relies on residents and volunteers to help to deliver its messages on healthy eating, health awareness and physical activity. With services including a community gym on a bus, a food co-operative and cervical and breast screening for South Asian women, it builds the knowledge and skills of local people to enable them to help themselves.
What the judges thought
'This is an imaginative organisation, with good grassroots engagement improving local health. Its projects put the community voice at the heart of its decision-making.'
Healthy Valleys
Healthy Valleys was awarded £25,000 plus two places on the IMPACT Awards Development Network training course. Healthy Valleys delivers a range of community-led health programmes to the people of rural South Lanarkshire. With services designed to promote early intervention and general wellbeing, it builds the knowledge and skills of local people to enable them to help themselves.
What the judges thought
'Healthy Valleys overcomes the challenges of promoting healthy living very effectively by engaging the local community and encouraging participation in planning and providing services.'
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C Trust staff were awarded £25,000 plus two places on the IMPACT Awards Development Network training course.
Formed ten years ago by people who have or have had hepatitis C, the Hepatitis C Trust aims to increase awareness of the disease and provide more accessible testing, particularly for vulnerable target groups. It has an international impact and an ultimate aim of eradicating this disease in the UK.
What the judges thought
'This is an impressive organisation, which is led and run by patients with the disease. The Trust's campaigning has had significant impact on national policymakers and GP awareness, while their local testing initiatives have cleverly engaged with target groups.'
The Women's Health Information and Support Centre
The Women's Health Information and Support Centre (WHISC) is one of eight winners of the 2012 GSK IMPACT Awards. The staff were awarded £25,000 plus two places on the IMPACT Awards Development Network training course.
Offering a non-judgemental, confidential service to the women of Merseyside and Liverpool, WHISC provides information, training and support. Last year more than 6,000 women accessed its services.
What the judges thought
'WHISC has an impressive range of services delivered efficiently and effectively within a small budget. They have worked hard to understand and target a defined population in a very deprived area.'
Highly commended
These organisations were highly commended by the judges and received a £5,000 donation, plus a place on the IMPACT Awards Development Network training course.
Runners up
The following organisations received a £3,000 donation.
2012 IMPACT Champions winners
Organisations that were shortlisted for an IMPACT Award between 2000 and 2009 were also given the opportunity to apply to the 2012 IMPACT Champions. Gold and Silver Champions are offered free leadership coaching and access to the IMPACT Awards Development Network.
Gold
The winning organisations received a donation of £35,000.
Crew 2000
CREW 2000, an Edinburgh-based charity provides drug counselling and support services, without judgement, for people looking to manage or reduce their drug use. Since its GSK IMPACT Award in 2008, the organisation has doubled in size and introduced a number of innovative programmes, including an online assessment tool. It continues to work closely with the Scottish Parliament and health service to support the implementation of a national drugs strategy.
What the judges thought
'CREW is an impressive organisation, working well at a policy and practice level. It has continued to innovate, uses technology effectively and has a straightforward proactive approach.'
HALE (Health Action Local Engagement)
The GSK IMPACT Award overall winner in 2010, Health Action Local Engagement (HALE) has gone from strength to strength, promoting health and wellbeing for people living in the Bradford area. Using innovative approaches it delivered 175 different programmes last year and its reach has doubled, allowing more than 5,500 people to access their services.
What the judges thought
'HALE is a clear gold winner, going from strength to strength. It has continued to grow and develop since it last won in 2010. It has an entrepreneurial and reflective style that constantly strives to improve services.'
The Metro Centre
Providing services and support to those experiencing health issues relating to sexuality, identity, gender and diversity, The Metro Centre originally won a GSK IMPACT Award in 2007. Since then it has grown significantly, establishing 59 new projects accessed by 25,000 people and offering a safe space with no judgement for its clients.
What the judges thought
'This charity is clearly going places while remaining true to its voluntary sector roots. It is professionally run with excellent systems and strong leadership. It has been, and continues to be, innovative.'
Silver
This organisation received a donation of £10,000.
Bronze
These organisations received a donation of £5,000.
GSK IMPACT Award winners and their videos
GSK IMPACT Awards
Read more about the awards, how to apply and previous winners.
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