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Foundation sets up new Community Awards for Leicestershire

Foundation sets up new Community Awards for Leicestershire

The Leicestershire Community Champions Awards, a new event for 2020 aiming to celebrate the amazing people and organisations who have gone above and beyond to help their local communities, has been launched by the Furnley House Foundation.

The Furnley House Foundation was born out of Furnley House’s ambition to create opportunities and improve the lives of the local community. Usually, they hold a number of events to help bring the community together and have previously raised in excess of £40,000 each year for charities and not for profits.

The Covid-19 pandemic forced planned events to be postponed, but the Trustees were determined to remain positive throughout this period so raised money to help the Red Cross and Leicester Hospitals create discharge packs for those leaving hospital in March 2020. And, in partnership with Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL), they have set up the Leicestershire Community Champions Awards. These awards will recognise local people and organisations that have been supporting their local communities throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nominations are now open until Monday 28th September, with ten categories including registered charities, community organisations, local businesses, as well as individuals. All nominees will be invited to film a 30 second clip to be shown on the night.

The winners will be announced during a virtual awards evening on Tuesday 24th November, which will be hosted by local celebrity Ian Stringer. 

Stefan Fura, Founder of Furnley House said

‘We are keen to hear about the charities and people really making a difference locally, so we can support them and help raise the profile of the great work they are doing.

‘The winner of our headline charity of the year award will receive a grant of £5,000, a showreel film produced explaining what they do and why it is so important. The cost of this will be covered by the Foundation with the support of Photographer and Videographer Jay Nandha. Alongside this, we will support them financially through the year ahead with other planned fundraising events including the intended return of our headline Summer Ball.

‘We will also be taking donations on the evening and any funds raised will be split between all the charities that are on the final shortlist.’

Simon Winfield, Managing Director of Red Monkey Play and Trustee of the Furnley House Foundation added

‘As Chairman of the Furnley House Foundation, I am excited and delighted by the opportunity that this brings and also the energy and enthusiasm of our Trustees who are focused on driving this forward and making it a success.

‘We want our judging panel to reflect the community as widely as possible and we have some exciting names that have already pledged their time and I would like to thank them for their support.’

Kevin Allen-Khimani, Executive Manager – Public Sector Contracts & Projects at VAL, said:

‘We are honoured to be partnering with Furnley House for the Leicestershire Community Champions Awards. This year has been incredibly challenging for so many of us, yet we have seen people come together like never before.

‘We saw a huge increase in the number of volunteers who rallied around to support their communities at the height of lockdown and in the weeks that followed. It will be a joy to celebrate the achievements of those individuals and organisations who have gone above and beyond.’

For more information, tickets or if you know someone that you’d like to nominate then please visit the Leicestershire Community Champions Awards website www.lccawards.co.uk

 


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