JustGiving Awards 2018 Winners

CREATIVE

Clare Young

Creative Fundraiser of 2018

Clare’s creativity with knitting needles, fashioned £28,147 for Sue Ryder. Her knitted garden, ‘Work of Heart’ wowed the Royal Horticultural Society and us! 40,000 knitted flowers, and a hospital bed to recreate her late husband, Ken’s room in Leckhampton Court Hospice.

But she didn’t stop there. She ‘yarn bombed’ a tree with bunting to thank Ken’s nurses and carers for taking care of him. She’s sold Christmas decorations, dolls and inspired others to knit 52,000 love hearts, all to help Sue Ryder. Helping thousands of us talk openly about grief and loss.`

YOUNG

Maddison Harris

Young Fundraiser of 2018

Collecting £41,805 for CLIC Sargent would be impressive for anyone – especially a 7-year old. When Maddison was diagnosed with leukaemia, her spine was broken in two places, and two years of chemotherapy took away her hair. But her bravery, determination and commitment to fundraising has meant that another child will get 1,115 hours of specialist care from a cancer nurse.

Maddison’s ‘Don’t Stare, It’s Only Hair’ campaign has inspired other sick youngsters to hold their heads high and her own friends, family and teachers to shave their heads. Their new hair style may look cool, but it’ll never match Maddison’s courage and determination.

CHANGE-MAKER

Maria and Stuart Grennan

Change Maker 2018

Maria heard a baby cry when she gave birth. But her daughter never made a sound. Today at Worcestershire Maternity Bereavement Suite, couples suffering the stillbirth of their child, inside one of two soundproofed delivery rooms, will not be traumatised by noise from nearby newborns. It’s Maggie’s legacy. Her grieving parents made sure to protect others from an experience no mums and dads should suffer – yet Maria and Stuart did. With friends and family, Christmas jumper days and an Ironman competition, raffles and cake sales, they raised £10,020 to create the most compassionate legacy for Maggie and all in need.

TEAM

Ty Hafan Dads

Fundraising Team of 2018

Ain’t no mountain high enough for these 16 dads and uncles – not Ben Nevis or Scafell Pike, Snowden or Cadair Idris, not Pen y Fan. All were conquered in 55 hours by these incredible men who slept on the minibus, ate on the go, climbed 5,187 metres high and trekked 36 miles as a team.

Not only do the Tŷ Hafan Dads share this JustGiving award, but also the experience of their child being diagnosed with a life-limiting condition and cared for at Tŷ Hafan. Many won’t see their 19th birthday. But the Welsh hospice will use £27,112 raised by this #5in55 challenge to give more families emotional and practical help, while other men were also inspired to discuss their mental health – and reassured that they too will overcome their personal mountains.

CROWDFUNDER

Lisa Wells

Crowdfunder of 2018

Lisa didn’t just raise £92,891 for the end of life hospice Dorothy House and her daughters, Ava-Lilly and Saffia. She raised #LisasArmy. Giving the sisters hundreds of friends and family to look out for them and turn to when she’s gone. Since her terminal bowel and liver cancer diagnosis, Lisa taught pregnant woman on video to check for cancers like hers and encouraged more than 300 walkers to roam as far as 20km in Wiltshire. On Mother’s Day.

Eastenders stars Danny Dyer and Natalie Cassidy threw their fame behind Lisa’s crowdfunding page too, helping sell out her charity concert and leave a joyous legacy for her proud daughters, who’ll feel her presence. Always.

CELEBRITY

Josh Patterson

Celebrity Fundraiser of 2018

Made In Chelsea, JP put his reality TV image on the line when he got in a wheelchair he didn’t need. He never stopped pushing until he rolled over the Finish Line at the 2018 Berlin marathon with his best mate Ben, who broke his back in a motorbike accident, on his way home from visiting Josh’s newborn daughter.

Together, they raised £12,577 for the Spinal Injuries Association, strengthened their friendship and smashed stereotypes about people in wheelchairs. What a dream team.

CHARITY

The British Hen Welfare Trust

Charity of 2018

What came first? The British Hen Welfare Trust. You put the UK’s first chicken rehoming charity at the top of the pecking order at the 2018 JustGiving Awards for busting 68,000 caged hens out of farms, factories and collection points across the country – taking the brood to 670,000 girls since 2015. Every bird crossed the road to a new life and felt the sun on her feathers for the first time. She’ll tread grass, scratch dirt for insects and lay eggs in a real nest, forever. Heaven.

Your Hellmann’s mayonnaise has free-range eggs in it thanks to Jane Harith and her 800 volunteers who also keep the hens happy, train vets, warn us shoppers which processed foods contain caged eggs, giving you the freedom to make kinder choices – and more. All of which convinced you to abseil a water tower, run 153 miles in Greece or fundraise for the flock in your own way in 2018, then The British Hen Welfare Trust better than all other charities.

ENDURANCE

Kevin Webber

Endurance Fundraiser of 2018

Imagine running the Brighton marathon when you’re having chemotherapy. Dragging a sledge 120 miles through the Arctic – knowing you’ve outlived your terminal cancer diagnosis. And only two weeks later, finishing your third 250km Marathon des Sables in the Sahara, while helping others cross the Finish Line and giving your walking poles to your competition who twisted an ankle.

That’s what Kevin did. He raised an extreme amount in extreme ways with extreme health problems, conquering snow and sand deserts to give £200,000 to Prostate Cancer UK. He’s trying to fund a cure, save another man’s life and encourage all of us with terminal illnesses to keep hoping – while inspiring hundreds of friends and colleagues to raise money for charity too. Has he inspired you too?

OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT

Lucy Lintott

Outstanding Commitment 2018

How old was the youngest person diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in Scotland? It’s Lucy – and she was just 19. Thirty years younger than average and totally alone in her experience. By 24, she’d raised £181,585 for MND Scotland, and inspired thousands of others to put on concerts, and take part in all sorts of challenges to raise money.

You recognised her outstanding commitment with a JustGiving Award – and she’s only five years into her life-long commitment to find a cure and challenge misconceptions about MND on her popular blog – Lucys’ Fight.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Charity Ninjas

Special Recognition 2018

Donated to a JustGiving page anonymously in 2018? You’re a winner! You share this Special Recognition prize with the largest group we’ve ever awarded – the charity ninjas who made 350,000 donations without telling us your name or wanting the smallest slither of recognition and gratitude.

You showed the world you don’t have to be friend or family to truly care and be generous in 2018, so much so, you gave £6 million to complete strangers in need. From helping Donna Corden buy facial reconstruction surgery to sending Alex and his family to Disneyland after his leukaemia fight. Thank you! From our fundraisers, crowdfunders and hearts.

JustGiving Awards Winners