Top community health and wellbeing charities win 2023 GSK IMPACT Awards

Ten UK charities have been named as winners of the 2023 GSK IMPACT Awards for their outstanding work improving health and wellbeing in their communities. 

This years’ awards come at a time when many local charities find themselves working in a uniquely challenging environment. The long-term consequences of Covid and the current cost-of-living crisis are having a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of many local communities, public services are under additional pressure, and charity finances have been hit hard. 

The ten winning charities were chosen from more than 400 organisations following a rigorous selection and assessment process. Now in their 26th year, the GSK IMPACT Awards are delivered in partnership with leading health and care charity, The King’s Fund. The awards are designed to recognise the exemplary work of small and medium-sized charities to improve health and wellbeing in the UK. Winners will receive £40,000 in unrestricted funding as well as expert support and leadership development provided by The King’s Fund.   

The 10 winners of the 2023 GSK IMPACT Awards are: 

• Aurora New Dawn – supporting survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking 
• Birth Companions – working to improve the health and wellbeing of women experiencing inequality and disadvantage in pregnancy and early motherhood, including those in prison 
• Croydon BME Forum – working to tackle health inequalities and improve the physical and mental health of ethnic minority communities in Croydon 
• LGBT Switchboard – working to improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ people in the Sussex community 
• New Citizens’ Gateway – supporting the physical and mental well-being and welfare of asylum seekers and refugees in London and beyond 
• The Cellar Trust – supporting people across Bradford District and Craven, and surrounding areas who are struggling with their mental health to live well and independently in the community 
• The Rainbow Foundation – an active ageing charity working to improve the health and wellbeing of rural communities in Wrexham and North Shropshire through a range of health, care and wellbeing services 
• Red Rose Recovery Lancashire – supporting the physical and mental health needs of people affected by substance abuse and addiction throughout Lancashire and parts of Cumbria 
• Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care – supporting older people to be swiftly and safely discharged home from hospital 
• StreetDoctors – giving life-saving first aid skills to young people likely to witness or be affected by street violence or knife crime.  

A key aim of the GSK IMPACT Awards programme is to develop leaders in the charity sector, and all winners are invited to build on their success and take part in a tailored leadership development programme run by The King’s Fund. Following this, they are invited to join the GSK IMPACT Awards Network, a UK-wide network of more than 110 previous award winners who work together to develop leaders, find new ways of working and provide mutual support. 
 
Katie Pinnock, Director, UK Charitable Partnerships at GSK, said: “Year on year, we are astounded by the quality of the organisations applying for a GSK IMPACT Award. Since we launched the programme in 1997, more than £8.1 million has been awarded in support of 533 of the most impressive health and care charities in the UK. The Awards recognise innovation, leadership and resilience.  Our 26 year-long partnership with The King’s Fund is testament to the commitment from both organisations to support the health and wellbeing of some of the UK’s most vulnerable people. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winners of the 2023 GSK IMPACT Awards.”  

 Lisa Weaks, Senior Associate at The King’s Fund, said: “The GSK IMPACT awards are regarded as a mark of excellence in the voluntary sector, which gives charities doing brilliant work to improve the health and wellbeing of their communities the recognition to grow their influence and impact. In the wake of the pandemic and with the current cost of living crisis, small charities face a triple threat – soaring demand, rising running costs and squeezed personal and public finances. We are proud to support the ten winning charities, all of which have gone above and beyond to respond to these challenges while working in a context of unprecedented pressure on health and care services and widening health inequalities. 

“We were inspired by the many memorable examples of new services and innovative initiatives the winners have developed in response to the changing needs of the people and communities they serve. We were also really impressed by the strength of leadership shown by the winning organisations, and we hope they will benefit from the development and support opportunities offered by these awards.”