Three small charities in Greater Manchester have been selected today as 2019 Weston Charity Awards winners. They will each receive a core grant of £6,500 from the Garfield Weston Foundation and a year’s strategic planning support from a team of four business leaders to enable them to become more efficient, effective and sustainable. The Greater Manchester Youth Network, The Manchester Men’s Room and Northmoor Community Association have been selected from a field of nearly 200 frontline charities delivering youth, welfare or community services in the North of England, the Midlands and Wales. 
The Greater Manchester Youth Network delivers social action and volunteering programmes for disadvantaged young people aged 13 to 25 and infrastructure support for youth organisations across Greater Manchester.
Alex Fairweather, Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Youth Network said:
“This is a fantastic opportunity for GMYN. We are really proud and excited to be an award winner. This is a great opportunity for us to develop and expand our work in order to support more young people across Greater Manchester.”
The Manchester Men’s Room is a unique arts and social care charity and the only organisation in the UK whose core mission is supporting marginalised young men engaged in sex work. They work with male and trans sex workers and men with experience of sexual exploitation and homelessness offering support, advice and guidance on a range of issues .
Fergal McCullough, CEO of the Manchester Men’s Room said:
“We are absolutely delighted to win a Weston Charity Award. The support that comes with the award will help us to build a secure future for our work with the marginalised and often vulnerable men we support.”
Northmoor Community Association was set up in 2000 by local people motivated to tackle disadvantage, gang related crime, environmental and anti-social behaviour issues prevalent in their neighbourhood. It operates a centre which runs services such as homework clubs, a community diner and launderette and digital training advancing skills to relieve poverty and promoting health and well-being.
Giselle Bawden, Centre manager said:
“We're a small, unique charity and we are continually on a learning journey to strengthen our foundations so that we can meet the increasingly complex needs that are coming our way with increasing deprivation. We are thrilled that our work to help relieve poverty and disadvantage through the provision of inter-generational and multi-cultural services and activities has been recognised in our selection as Weston Charity Award winner.”
Philippa Charles, director of the Garfield Weston Foundation said:
“These local Weston Charity Awards recipients have been selected due to the strength of their ambitions and their demonstrable openness to constructive challenge and external perspectives. Their impact extends far beyond their direct service users.”
The year-long coaching programme between the winning charities and their team of business leaders is facilitated by another charity, Pilotlight, whose CEO Gillian Murray said:
“Small charity leaders in Manchester face the constant pressure of frontline issues which can divert resources away from longer term thinking. Through the Weston Charity Awards, these three local charities will continue to do their great work whilst working on transformative plans to make an even greater impact on the communities they serve for years to come.”