Weston Charity Awards Reveal Inspirational Winners for 2025

A group of 21 ambitious frontline charities working in the fields of community, environment, welfare and youth support have been named winners of the 2025 Weston Charity Awards. The Awards recognise and enhance the vital work of small charities across the UK, amplifying their impact and boosting long-term resilience in the face of increasing third-sector challenges.

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This year's winning charities, located in the Midlands, Wales, and the North of England, were selected from 160 applicants. Each will receive a regenerative support package valued at over £22,000. This includes free access to the Pilotlight 360 programme – a remarkable eight-month package of charity leadership coaching worth an estimated £16,000. Expert “Pilotlighters” from private and public sectors offer professional mentoring on topics from income diversification to long-term business strategies. In addition, Award winners will receive a grant of £6,500 from the Garfield Weston Foundation.

Clare Gough, Director at the Garfield Weston Foundation, commented:
“Congratulations to all this year’s Weston Charity Award winners. Once again, we’re proud to partner with Pilotlight to support these exceptional and varied charities. We understand the ever-increasing pressure on charities to deliver their crucial work. These Awards give them the space to reflect, learn, and forge a path to long-term sustainability and success."
Since launching in 2014, over 200 charities have received Weston Charity Awards. The most recent impact report revealed that six months after participating in Pilotlight 360, an impressive 100% of charity leaders said it positively impacted the effectiveness of their senior management team. The 2025 winners have diverse missions, working across specialisms including mental health, homelessness, reoffending, poverty, health, neonatal care, community support, equality and diversity, safety, education, parenting, disability, self-esteem, and sustainability.
Ed Mayo, Chief Executive of Pilotlight added: “Whatever size, charities can have a big impact, but research shows that right now, two universal challenges are income generation and management skills gaps. Thanks to Pilotlight’s partnership with the Garfield Weston Foundation, these Awards provide the lifeline needed for charities to overcome stumbling blocks and navigate times of uncertainty."

​Among this year’s recipients is Woodland Heritage, a charity operating across Wales and the Midlands that champions the use of home-grown timber from sustainable, productive woodlands. Chief Executive John Orchard said, “A Weston Charity Award gives the funds and friends we need to help us plot our course - amazing news!” Another winner, The Good Shepherd, is a charity that has been working in the West Midlands since 1972 to end homelessness, support recovery, and create pathways out of poverty.

Chief Executive Tom Hayden said the award will “have a hugely positive impact for the organisation and the people we support.” Other winners include charities Home-Start Cymru (offering family support in Cardiff, Wales), Standing Tall (tackling homelessness across the Midlands and North of England), and Tempus Novo (rehabilitating ex-offenders across the Midlands and North of England). For more information about the Weston Charity Awards, visit: www.pilotlight.org.uk/weston-charity-awards