The final shortlists have been revealed for the Steve Morgan Foundation 20^th Anniversary Awards.

A record 337 entries were received with charities from across Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales all vying for a share of £175,000 prize money.

The public were initially allowed to vote for their favourites online and accounted for 20% of the overall decision-making process.

This was followed by two rounds of judging by trustees from the Steve Morgan Foundation before the final shortlists were agreed.

There are a total of 11 awards up for grabs. They are:

1. Best Entrepreneurial Charity with turnover above £250k
2. Best Entrepreneurial Charity with turnover below £250k
3. Greatest Local Impact with turnover above £250k
4. Greatest Local Impact with turnover below £250k
5. Changing Young Lives with turnover above £250k
6. Changing Young Lives with turnover below £250k
7. Best Volunteer Team with turnover above £250k
8. Best Volunteer Team with turnover below £250k
9. Disability Champion
10. Volunteer of the Year
11. Outstanding Individual Contribution (winner to be announced on the day.

Categories 1-8 have a first prize of £12,000 and two runners-up prizes of £4,000. Categories 9-11 are discretionary awards with one award of £5,000 to the winner.

The winners and runners-up will be announced at the Foundation’s 20^th Anniversary Conference and Awards at Carden Park Hotel on March 28^th, 2022.  The conference will include workshops.

Jane Harris, Director of Regional Grants at the Steve Morgan Foundation, said: “We had a record number of entries so it was a real challenge just to get to a final shortlist. Congratulations to all those involved.”

The shortlists are as follows:

1. Best Entrepreneurial Charity with turnover below £250k
   • Bee Wirral CIC
   • Brighter Futures
   • Kirkby Amateur Boxing Club Ltd
   • Mersey Youth Support Trust
   • Pennysmart CIC Ltd

2. Best Entrepreneurial Charity with turnover above £250k
   • Crest Co-operative Ltd
   • The Open Door Centre
   • Positive Futures North Liverpool
   • SAFE Regeneration Ltd
   • The Wishing Well Project

3. Greatest Local Impact with turnover below £250k
   • CELLS Project CIO
   • The Martin Gallier Project
   • Rotunda Inclusive Hub CIC
   • Teardrops Supporting Your Community
   • Torrington Drive Community Association

4. Greatest Local Impact with turnover above £250k
   • Fun 4 Kidz
   • NEO Community
   • Netherley Youth and Community Initiative Ltd
   • The Big Help Project Ltd
   • Tomorrow’s Women Wirral

5. Changing Young Lives with turnover below £250k
   • Active Hope Ltd
   • Cerebral Palsy United FC
   • The Inclusion Network CIC
   • Thriving Spaces CIC
   • Walton Youth and Community Project

6. Changing Young Lives with turnover above £250k
   • Passion For Learning CIO
   • Positive Futures North Liverpool
   • The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society
   • Venus Working Together with Young Women
   • WEB (Women’s Enterprising Breakthrough)

7. Best Volunteer Team with turnover below £250k
   • Chester Pride
   • Incredible Edible Knowsley CIC
   • Motherwell Cheshire CIO
   • North East Wales Search and Rescue Team
   • Paper Cup Project

8. Best Volunteer Team with turnover above £250k
   • Emmaus Merseyside
   • Koala North West
   • NEO Community
   • Passion For Learning CIO
   • Tom Harrison House

9. Disability Champion
   • Creating Adventures
   • Down Syndrome Cheshire
   • Happy Times Activities Ltd
   • Neuro Therapy Centre Ltd
   • The Brain Charity

10. Volunteer of the Year
    • Andrew Johnston – SAFE Regeneration Ltd
    • Carol Haggart – The Port Grocery CIC
    • Margaret Guppy – CBI / Bradbury Fields Services for Blind and Partially Sighted
    • Ray Evans – Erlas Victorian Walled Garden

11. Outstanding Individual Contribution (winner to be announced on the day)