Action Foundation has been honoured with two prestigious titles at this year’s North East Charity Awards.
Our dedicated Action Language volunteer, Libby Selman, won the Charity Champion category whilst former staff member, Abi Walker, took home the Rising Star award.
Asked by celebrity host Iwan Thomas MBE what keeps her motivated to volunteer, Libby said: “Fantastic students and a very, very good charity to work with.”
Libby has been giving up her time to help refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants learn English and integrate into their new lives in the North East since Action Foundation began.
She has gone above and beyond to support her learners with the additional opportunities that come their way, even hosting refugees in her home as part of our former Hosting project.
Meanwhile, Abi, winner of the Rising Star award, has raised tens of thousands of pounds to help the people with whom we work through her varying work in community fundraising and engaging with trusts and foundations. At just 27 she was the youngest person on both Action Foundation’s leadership team and Virgin Money Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
Abi has just been appointed as Senior Fundraising Officer for national charity, Women’s Aid and said goodbye to Action Foundation a week before the awards. She will be hugely missed but we wish her all the very best in her fabulous new role.
Our CEO, Duncan McAuley, said he was hugely proud of Abi and Libby’s achievements.
“I couldn’t be more proud of them both and of the amazing staff and volunteers they represent.
It was a fantastic night and wonderful to celebrate Action Foundation and the many other wonderful charities in the North East.
Our friends NEST (North East Solidarity and Teaching) also won Small Charity of the Year, so there was excellent representation from the refugee sector!”
