We are delighted to announce that we have made the shortlist for this year’s Charity Awards, the longest-running awards scheme in the charity sector.
Friends of Moorfields has been shortlisted in the Healthcare and Medical Research category for our handholding project, which provides trained volunteers to support patients before, during and after eye procedures performed under local anaesthetic.
The Charity Awards, which announced its shortlist today (16 May), is a highly regarded excellence recognition scheme and is this year celebrating its 25th anniversary. All 30 shortlisted charities this year have been judged by an independent panel of sector leaders as having demonstrated best practice in leadership and management, from which other organisations can learn.
Handholding volunteers have been active at Moorfields since 2019, beginning with a pilot supported by Helpforce at Moorfields City Road. Since then, the service has gone from strength to strength.
Handholders provide a real, measurable benefit to patients – we surveyed over 400 patients who had volunteer support, and 95% agreed or strongly agreed that the presence of a handholder helped them to feel less anxious. “The volunteer held my hand during my surgery and made me feel very relaxed and comfortable. My anxiety level went down a lot! Thank you for the support,” said one patient who filled in a survey after their procedure.
Consultants and theatre teams also notice the positive impact of handholding. “Having a reassuring person who can be with a patient during their theatre journey is better than any sedation I can give,” said an anaesthetist.
The success of the handholding service has led to it rolling out at more sites – at first only offered at Moorfields City Road, the service now provides over 200 hours of support a week, across nine Moorfields sites.
The 10 category winners, plus the recipients of the Overall Award for Excellence and the Daniel Phelan Award for Outstanding Achievement, will be announced at a black-tie dinner on Thursday 3 July, held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
The evening will be hosted by BBC news presenter Asad Ahmad, who will be joined on the night by a host of celebrities, representatives of the shortlisted charities, as well as leaders from Britain’s best-known and best-loved charities.
Matthew Nolan, Chief Executive of Civil Society Media which organises the Charity Awards, congratulated Friends of Moorfields on making the highly coveted shortlist. He said: “For a quarter of a century now, the Charity Awards has been showcasing and celebrating the terrific work of UK charities large and small.
“At a time when the sector is struggling with higher costs, shrinking donations and ever-increasing demand for its work, it is reassuring and inspiring to see the extent and quality of charitable activity that is still going on across the country.
“We offer our heartfelt congratulations to all the charities on this year’s shortlist; we know that times are tough and you should all be very proud of getting this far. We wish Friends of Moorfields the best of luck on the night.”
Peter Hugh Smith, Chief Executive at CCLA, Overall Partner of the Charity Awards, said: “Every year the Charity Awards serve as a moment for the sector to reflect and acknowledge the transformative power of compassion, determination and resilience. The awards amplify the voices of those making a difference, inspiring others to join in creating positive change.
“We're honoured to renew our role as the Charity Awards’ Overall Partner, championing the remarkable efforts of charities, large and small, right across the UK.”
Angela Smith, Chief Executive at Friends of Moorfields, said: “We are delighted to be shortlisted for the Charity Awards 2025, in the Healthcare and Medical Research category. Our handholding volunteers make an amazing contribution, supporting patients and staff and helping ensure that everyone who comes to Moorfields, for whatever reason, has the best possible experience.
"We’re very grateful to Helpforce, who funded the original pilot of this service and who have continued to support us with evaluations of our impact.
"We’re looking forward to attending the award ceremony on 3 July. Whatever the outcome, I am incredibly proud of our volunteers, and of the staff team who work so hard to ensure they have the training and support they need to provide this valuable service.”
For more information about the Charity Awards 2025, please contact:
Jenni O’Donovan | 020 7819 1200 | jenni.odonovan@civilsociety.co.uk
The panel of judges for 2025 is
- Chris Sherwood, chief executive, NSPCC (chair)
- André Clarke, director of charity development, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales
- Martin Edwards, chief executive, Julia’s House
- Katie Ghose, chief executive, KIDS
- Gemma Gooch, head of charities distribution, Rathbones
- Richard Hawkes OBE, chief executive, British Asian Trust
- Jehangir Malik OBE, consultant and adviser to UNICEF South Asia
- Farah Nazeer, chief executive, Women’s Aid
- Cathy Phelan-Watkins, owner and chair, Civil Society Media
- Shane Ryan, senior adviser to the National Lottery Community Fund
- Sharika Sharma, head of business development, CCLA
- Dr Priya Singh, chair, NCVO and executive director, the Society for Assistance of Medical Families
- Julie Wilson-Dodd, transformation consultant
- Karin Woodley CBE, chief executive, Cambridge House
