United’s Foundation is the Charity of the Year
THE Newcastle United Foundation has been named North East Charity of the Year at an event celebrating the best of the region’s voluntary sector.
The charitable arm of the football club took the final prize of the event at the North East Charity Awards, an event organised by The Journal and our sister paper on Teesside, the Gazette.
The Foundation uses football to help around 50,000 people a year in Tyneside and Northumberland and has a range of programmes that operate in areas such as disabilities, health and wellbeing, and young people.
Its award comes as the Foundation is close to completing its most ambitious project to date, the conversion of a disused community centre in Newcastle’s west end into the NUCastle sports, education and health hub.
Other winners on the night included Sunderland housing charity Back on the Map, Gateshead Older People’s Assembly and Beach Access North East, which works to help disabled and older people enjoy the splendours of the region’s coastline.
Individual charity champions and corporate supporters were also honoured.
The event was introduced by Helen Dalby, audience and content director for Journal and Gazette publishers Reach North East & Yorkshire
She said: “The pandemic has made so many of us take stock and reflect on our sense of purpose, our contribution and our community spirit. Voluntary groups, charitable organisations and people who care for others have unflinchingly stepped forward and stepped up during a time of global crisis to help support, nurture and sustain our communities - and to help the people most gravely impacted by coronavirus and its primary and secondary impacts on our society.
“Never before has there been so much recognition and respect for the work our charities do.”
The awards took place at Ramside Hall in Durham, marking a return to a live event after last year’s awards had to be held virtually due to the pandemic. The event was hosted by comedian Helen Lederer, with poet Rowan McCabe providing entertainment.
The awards are sponsored by Brewin Dolphin, with category sponsorship from Banks Group, Millfield House and Muckle LLP.