JustGiving Awards winners!
See who took an award home in 2023
CREATIVE FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR
Major Mick Stanley
81‑year-old, retired Army Major Mick is a maverick on a mission! Taking a slightly unconventional route, he built his own ‘Tin-tanic’ boat out of corrugated iron, curtain hooks and hosepipe and rowed an oar-inspiring 125 miles. This quirky vessel not only turned heads but also captured hearts, raising over £10,000 for the Children on the Edge.
community hero of the year
Krista Sharp
There are over 700,000 young carers living in the UK. Krista quit her job as a teacher to help run a charity that supports people just like them. Her unwavering dedication to MYTIME Young Carers is helping pave a brighter future for young carers everywhere.
When Krista heard a 5-year-old say they couldn’t play outside in case their mummy has a fit, or a young adult carer say they sometimes must steal food to make sure their family can eat, she was in awe of their selflessness.
YOUNG FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR
Harry Smith
Harry’s sister, Emily was the ‘best sister he could ever ask for’. When she died from an incurable brain tumour, he turned his grief into a powerful force for good. His challenge? Swimming a mile, climbing England’s highest mountain and cycling home from Addenbrooke’s Hospital – the journey home that his sister was never able to make. He’s raised over £11,000 for the Brain Tumour Charity.
ENDURANCE FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR
Gary McKee
If you look up the word “stamina” you might just find a picture of Gary McKee. Gary ran a marathon every single day last year, often before starting a full day of work. His passion, spirit, and impact went far beyond the miles he ran… and the 20 pairs of trainers he went through. Gary has raised well over £1m for Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice at Home West Cumbria.
CELEBRITY FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR
Bill Bailey
Comedian, musician and Strictly legend, Bill Bailey set out to prove that true friendship knows no bounds when he embarked on an epic 100‑mile walk from Cornwall to Devon. With every gruelling step, he honoured his close friend and comedian, Sean Lock. Bill’s remarkable journey raised over £140,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.
TEEN FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR
Gabriel Clark
13-year-old carpenter, Gabriel became a viral sensation when his ‘Bowl for Ukraine’ prize draw caught the attention of celebrities like Stephen Fry and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. After raising over £250,000 for Save The Children, he started work on his second creation, the ‘Hope Bowl’, made from three types of wood which represents conflict, food and education. He’s now raised over £278,000 and serves as a charity ambassador, inspiring other young people to leverage their passions.
charity of the year
My Name’5 Doddie Foundation
My Name’5 Doddie Foundation saw over £2 million raised and 38,000 participants in their 2023 campaign, Doddie Aid. The charity, who want to see a world free from MND, ran a virtual mass-participation exercise event, split into six districts, with the winning district being the one which covers the furthest distance over the duration of the event.
OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT
Richard Benson
Richard’s commitment to fundraising began after his partner, Camille experienced the unimaginable loss of her son, Ethan to suicide. Devastatingly, Camille also took her own life a few months later. Richard began hosting and participating in fundraising events like festivals, garden parties, charity dart nights and obstacle courses – and he has no plans of stopping there. To date, he’s raised over £6,000 for Papyrus – the suicide prevention charity.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Josh Patterson
To the world, he’s TV personality and social media star Josh Patterson. To us, he’s the guy that pushes every boundary known to mankind…and then some. You might recognise him from his most recent challenge, which caught the attention of millions after he decided to undertake a marathon in every city in the UK. 76 marathons. 76 cities. 76 days. £320,000 later, he made Samaritans proud and helped them provide life-saving phone calls to those who need them most. This was arguably the toughest challenge Josh put his mind to, but not the first.
Before then, he’d completed numerous epic challenges, including a charity challenge that was particularly close to his heart. When his good friend Ben was involved in a motorcycle accident that changed his life forever, Josh decided he wanted to use his platform to raise money and awareness for spinal injuries and become the first able-bodied person to travel from Lands’ End to John O’Groats in a wheelchair.
When we got a phone call from Josh during lockdown, we weren’t entirely surprised to hear that he’d decided to take on yet another challenge. This time, a 24-hour run around his 14-ft patio. This inspired thousands of people to sponsor him and raise over £22,000 for CALM. Not long after this, he committed to running 5 marathons in 5 days around the same patio, this time raising almost £25,000 for CALM and NHS Charities Together.
2024 Nominations are open!
Nominate your fundraising hero for a 2024 GoCardless JustGiving Award now!