2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Graeme Whitfield)
A charity that has helped raise more than £40m for research into childhood cancers has been named North East Charity of the Year. Children’s Cancer North - which was formed by the 2021 merger of North of England Children’s Cancer Research and Children’s Cancer Fund - took the top prize at the North East Charity Awards, organised by The Journal and The Gazette in association with headline partner RBC Brewin Dolphin. The charity, whose predecessor organisation can trace their roots back to 1979, provides support for children suffering cancer and their families, as well as raising awareness of the disease.
That prize was the last award on a night when the region’s charity and voluntary sector came together to celebrate organisations and supporters who provide key services around the North East. The event was opened by Helen Dalby, editorial director for Reach’s North East, Humber and Yorkshire titles, who paid tribute to the charities nominated for awards, describing them as the “backbone” of the region. Winners at the event - which was celebrating its 10th anniversary - included Chopwell Regeneration Group, Emmaus North East and Newcastle Carers.
There was also a special recognition award for the North East Child Poverty Commission, which was praised for its “relentless campaigning” and being “a shining example of how collective action, determination and a clear sense of purpose can create the change we so desperately need.” As well as awards for charities and social enterprises, there were also prizes for individuals and companies for their support of charities. Accepting the Charity of the Year award, Children’s Cancer North chair Chris Peacock said: “There’s over 100 children treated in Newcastle every year for cancer and while survival rates have increased dramatically we still have a number of children who die, and that’s absolutely heartbreaking, Our mission is to make life better for children for cancer.
“We have world leading children’s cancer care in this region. We’ve raised over £40m to help fund that research and we’re looking after children and families on the wards now. “People are incredibly generous and sometimes, in the hardest of times, people really dig deep.
The North East population who have supported our charity and all the charities in this room are absolutely fantastic." The winners were: Trustee Board of the Year: New Writing North Outstanding Contribution to Social Change, in partnership with Millfield House Foundation: Newcastle Carers Rising Star: Poppy Brown, Chopwell Regeneration Partnership Best Corporate Charity Partnership: JT Dove Outstanding Social Enterprise: Emmaus North East Young Charity Champion of the Year, in partnership with Newcastle Hospitals Charity: Lucy Brannan. Charity Leader of the Year, in partnership with RBC Brewin Dolphin: Jo Cooper, Back on the Map Uniquely North East prize, in partnership with Vonne: Chopwell Regeneration Group Charity Champion of the Year, in partnership with Banks Group: Maxime Levasseur Small Charity of the Year, in partnership with Karbon Homes: The Millin Charity North East Charity of the Year, in partnership with Muckle LLP: Children’s Cancer North Outstanding contribution prize, in partnership with Point North and the Community Foundation for Tyne and Wear and Northumberland : North East Child Poverty Commission.
