The Weston Charity Awards gives small charities across the North of England and the Midlands unrestricted funding plus access to strategic support and mentoring from business leaders through the organisation Pilotlight.

Richard Beard, Chief Executive of the Jericho Foundation, said “Winning this award could not have come at a more opportune time, as we move into the next exciting stage of our development. We are grateful to The Garfield Weston Foundation for this award and relish the opportunity to work with Pilotlight to further evolve our skills, resilience and adaptability”.

Philippa Charles, Director of Garfield Weston Foundation, said: “We are living through a period of unprecedented change. Charities must be resilient and sustainable if they are to support people through such disruptive times. The better prepared charities are, the better placed they are to deliver the support needed. It is quite literally a case of adapt or die. This is why the Weston Charity Awards help charities become stronger, more effective and fit for the future”.

The Jericho Foundation is a charity which breaks down barriers in society and supports marginalised individuals to become fulfilled, skilled and employed. Jericho works with a broad variety of disadvantaged people who are struggling including young people, ex-offenders, homeless people, survivors of modern slavery and those with complex needs. Jericho provides employment, apprenticeships, work experience and volunteering opportunities in eight eco-friendly social enterprises.

Alongside this, Jericho delivers a holistic package of support, mentoring and training which is tailored to each client’s personal needs. Since 1993, Jericho has supported over 7,000 individuals, and over 70% of beneficiaries find sustainable employment and economic independence, enabling them to end any dependency on benefits and become an inclusive and integrated part of their local community.