On Thursday 10 June, the Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) Health Champions project took the top prize in the Children and Youth category at this year’s Charity Awards, the longest-running and most prestigious awards scheme in the charity sector.
FFT won the award for its work in promoting learning and peer education for healthy living among young people in Gypsy and Traveller communities.
As well as inspiring young people to make healthier lifestyle and dietary choices, the programme helped to re-engage young people with formal learning and some have gone on to further study.
Adapted from Royal Society for Public Health training, young people who took part in the Health Champions project could earn a Level 2 qualification, equivalent to a GCSE.
Alongside the other category winners, FFT was presented with its trophy in an online ceremony broadcast live, hosted by writer, comedian and political commentator Ayesha Hazarika.
The Charity Awards shortlist is chosen by an independent panel of expert judges, themselves all significant figures in the charity sector.
Matt Nolan, Chief Executive of Civil Society Media which organises the Charity Awards, congratulated FFT on winning the highly-coveted award. He said:
“For 21 years the Charity Awards have been recognising and celebrating the fantastic work that large and small charities do up and down the UK every day of the week.
“After putting the awards programme on ice last year while we waited to see how the pandemic played out, we felt the time was right again to recognise charities and celebrate their great work. FFT is an outstanding example of charities’ essential role in supporting marginalised communities, and thoroughly deserves this award.”
Sarah Mann, Director at Friends, Families and Travellers, said:
“It is an honour for the Health Champions project to receive this prestigious award.
This award recognises the long-lasting and positive impact that a project such as this can have for community members across all sectors of our society.
Congratulations to all winners and nominees for their excellent work over the past year!”
Speaking about the award, Samson Rattigan, Project Coordinator at Friends, Families and Travellers and project lead for the Health Champions project said:
“This project was about making an impact in young peoples’ lives, but more importantly it was about equipping young people with the tools to better their own and their peers’ lives.
The award speaks testament to the efforts, hard work and perseverance of the young people involved. Whilst FFT is proud to call the Health Champions one of our projects, it is the Health Champions themselves who we’re most proud of.
Congratulations to everyone involved!”
Notes for Editor
About Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT)
Friends, Families and Travellers is a leading national charity that works to end racism and discrimination against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people and to protect the right to pursue a nomadic way of life.
Media Contact
Sami McLaren, Communications Officer
Tel: 07436 228910 Email: sami@gypsy-traveller.org
Relevant Resources
‘2021 Children and Youth Charity Award Winner: Friends, Families and Travellers’. Charity Awards. June 2021. Watch here.
‘2021 Winners’. Charity Awards. June 2021. View here.
