Charity of the Year finalists revealed for this year’s JustGiving Awards

My Name’5 Doddie Foundation,Showerbox and Oasis Children’s Charity are the three charities which have been shortlisted for the Charity of The Year category at this year’s GoCardless JustGiving Awards.

The charities were selected by a panel of judges including Radio DJ Rickie Haywood-Williams, Actress Angela Griffin, longstanding fundraiser, famous for wearing a charity shop outfit every day for one year, Caroline Jones and the general manager of JustGiving, Pascale Harvie.

Doddie Weir’s My Name’5 Doddie Foundation was chosen for its work in investing into research projects across the UK to find effective treatments for motor neuron disease (MND).

The charity has had an incredibly poignant and important year, with its annual Doddie Aid fundraising event – a virtual mass-participation exercise event raising more than £2m and doubling the number of participants. It also recently launched its research strategy, ‘Catalysing a Cure’, which will guide how it invests funds raised and partnered with Scottish Rugby to deliver its five-year anniversary celebrations at Murrayfield Stadium during Scotland’s match against New Zealand.

ShowerBox were selected for its work revolutionising hygiene for the streets and hidden homeless in London by creating free and secure shower spaces. The charity helps empower homeless people to maintain good personal hygiene, build confidence and stop the spread of disease. For the past five years, it has raised over £41,000 to fund “ShowerBox Saturdays”, where people leave with a renewed sense of humanity and self-esteem.

And finally, Oasis Children’s Centre in Surrey want to make sure no family faces the heartbreaking choice of ‘heat or eat’. In Elmbridge, child poverty, rental, and house price inflation are at their highest and many are feeling the effects of the cost-of-living crisis. However, the success of its 2022 Christmas appeal meant that over 100 families could receive a fresh food hamper in time for Christmas Day.

This is the eleventh year of the JustGiving Awards and the judges agreed that this year’s event will be an incredibly emotional yet truly inspiring evening.

From more than 13,000 nominations, the judges worked hard to shortlist 21 inspiring finalists, three for each of the seven awards categories.

Pascale Harvie, President and general manager at JustGiving said: “Our fundraisers and crowdfunders are amazing and whilst they don’t do what they do for praise and recognition, every single charity like My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, Oasis Children’s Charity and Showerbox deserve it.

“The ceremony is a magical evening but most importantly it’s a moment for us at JustGiving to thank, formally recognise and celebrate the individuals, groups and charities who have done extraordinary things in the interest of others.”

Members of the public now have the opportunity to vote for the fundraisers and charities they want to see crowned for their efforts via: https://page.justgiving.com/awardsvoting2023

Seven winners as well as JustGiving’s Charity of the Year will be announced at the ceremony which takes place at London’s Roundhouse on the evening of September 25th.

Winners will be presented with their official trophy by well-known faces from the world of celebrities and sport.

Previous JustGiving Award winners include Max Woosey, who was crowned 2022 Young Fundraiser of the Year for camping outside for hundreds of nights in memory of his neighbour and raising funds for North Devon Hospice.

Three dads walking were awarded Fundraising Team of the Year for raising significant awareness for suicide prevention and funds for Papyrus and the late Dame Deborah James’ family received a special recognition award after she created wide-scale awareness of Bowel cancer and its symptoms and raised millions of pounds for the Bowelbabe Fund.

Pat Phelan, MD of UK & Ireland and Chief Customer Officer at GoCardless said: “We’re proud to recognise the finalists and everyone nominated for this year’s GoCardless JustGiving Awards. We’re also grateful to all of the donors who support them. By combining the energy and enthusiasm of charities like My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, Oasis Children’s Charity and Showerbox with the generosity of the nation, truly amazing things can happen.”