Who is Andy Fletcher?
As director of external affairs at palliative care charity Together For Short Lives until 2015, Andy made important inroads into lobbying for change for children and families. He returned as chief executive in June 2018 to carry on this mission.
What has he achieved?
Andy stepped up at a challenging time and turned Together for Short Lives' fortunes around. He instigated a six-month UK roadshow to inform the charity's strategy, meeting staff, families, hospices, palliative care charities and clinicians. He raised the charity's profile and distilled its strategy to one clear objective - directly supporting families.
Reversing the severe financial pressure the charity faced, Andy has driven a fundraising culture, rebuilding trust with major donors and strengthening relationships with high profile corporate partners.
Under Andy's watch, the reach of the charity’s helpline has more than tripled and he has kick-started innovative family services including a Butterfly Fund that provides financial hardship support for grieving families. His lobbying secured ringfenced NHS funding of £25m for children's hospices in England.
What did the judges say? “Such passion! Brilliant work in engaging stakeholders and beneficiaries, and focusing on the people within the charity.”
Who is Dr Nicola Sharp Jeffs?
An expert in economic abuse, Dr Nicola Sharp Jeffs founded Surviving Economic Abuse in 2017. She has blazed a trail and brought much-needed attention to economic abuse as an issue in its own right.
What has she achieved?
Nicola's successful influencing work led to the inclusion of economic abuse within the statutory definition of domestic abuse for the first time as part of the Domestic Abuse Bill currently passing through Parliament.
Nicola was also a key contributor to the working group which developed the UK Finance Financial Abuse Code of Practice, launched in October 2018. To support institutions in implementing the code she developed a banking strand of work within SEA, holding a banking conference to engage the industry, and launching an award to recognise best practice within financial services.
Following their work alongside SEA, several financial institutions have set up specialist economic abuse teams to ensure they provide an effective response.
In 2017 Nicola began to invite women who had experienced economic abuse to work alongside SEA to create change. This group has now grown to over 100 victim-survivors of economic abuse who inform all of SEA's work.
What did the judges say? “Brilliant advocacy work, and placing people affected by financial abuse at the heart of the work. An inspiring leader who motivates others to act.”
Finalists
John Verge, Golden Lane Housing
Olivia Curno, Vision Foundation
Lorraine Gillies, Scottish Community Safety Network (SCSN)
Nathan Sparling, HIV Scotland