This year we received over 100 applications for the Christmas Challenge 2017 Awards and the results are now in. The Awards have been established to recognise the best performing of the hundreds of charities that take part each year.

We are thrilled to announce this year’s Award Winners. The judges were hugely impressed by the work put into the applications and we thank all those who took the time to share their success stories. Sir Alec Reed CBE, Founder of the Big Give, chaired the panel:

“I am delighted to announce the winners of the Christmas Challenge 2017 for which charities’ performance was outstanding. The winners are excellent examples of charities going above and beyond to create compelling and inspiring campaigns to help them maximise the fundraising opportunity offered by the Christmas Challenge. We want to celebrate their hard work and creativity and the Reed Foundation is pleased to award additional funds to all of the Christmas Challenge Award winners to support their important work.”  

Without further ado, here are the winners – congratulations!

Award Winners

Overall Winner: Aurora Orchestra (£3,000)

Second Place: South London Cares (£2,000)

Third Place: Friends of Ibba Girls School, South Sudan (£1,000)

Newcomer Award: Pestalozzi International Village Trust (£1,000)

Small Charity Award: Junction 42 (£1,000)

International Charity Award: Afghan Connection (£1,000)

UK Charity Award: Action for M.E. (£1,000)

Supporter Engagement Award: East African Playgrounds (£1,000)

Creative Marketing Award: Forever Hounds Trust (£1,000)

Children’s Project Award: Chickenshed (£1,000)

Raising Charity Profile Award: Chailey Heritage Foundation (£1,000)

Special Award for Significant Impact on the Charity: Alternatives Trust East London (£1,000)

Special Mentions

Amref Health Africa UK – for demonstrating learning in fundraising and communications through the campaign.

The British Red Cross – for being a big charity ‘going local’ through a campaign focused on innovative community fundraising.

The Passage – for raising the most money through the Christmas Challenge, a whopping £233,334.

Send a Cow – for offering their donors the chance to triple their donations by tying the Christmas Challenge into their UK Aid Match grant.

Congratulations to all charities who received an award or special mention. We will be sharing their applications as examples of best practice for charities participating in future Christmas Challenge campaigns.