Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse Shortlisted for the Charity Awards 2025
Standing Together is delighted to announce that it has made the Final list for this year’s Charity Awards, the longest-running and most prestigious awards scheme in the charity sector.
Our Whole Health project has been shortlisted in the Healthcare and Medical Research category, which aims to transform the way healthcare professionals respond to domestic abuse.
The Charity Awards, which announces its shortlist today (16 May), is the sector’s most highly-regarded excellence recognition scheme and is this year celebrating its 25th anniversary. All 30 shortlisted charities this year have been judged by an independent panel of sector leaders as having demonstrated best practice in leadership and management, from which other organisations can learn.
Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse (STADA) saw a need to intervene. Its Whole Health Project has transformed healthcare responses to domestic abuse through systemic interventions, ensuring that victims/survivors receive timely and effective support.
It conducted a comprehensive gaps and incident analysis across England with Integrated Care Boards, NHS trusts, and various domestic abuse services, and addressed identified service gaps by embedding an innovative Coordinated Health Response within the NHS.
Through 30 services commissioned by the Home Office, STADA deployed independent domestic violence advocates and domestic abuse coordinators in hospitals, GP practices, and maternity wards, and trained clinicians to identify and respond to domestic abuse.
Cherryl Henry-Leach, CEO of Standing Together, commented:
"Being shortlisted for the Charity Awards is a recognition of our relentless commitment to creating safer healthcare environments for those impacted by domestic abuse. Our Whole Health Project doesn’t just save lives—it transforms them. It’s proof that when healthcare professionals are equipped with the right tools and training, they become a lifeline for survivors."
The 10 category winners, plus the recipients of the Overall Award for Excellence and the Daniel Phelan Award for Outstanding Achievement, will be announced at a black-tie dinner on Thursday, 3 July, held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
The evening will be hosted by BBC news presenter Asad Ahmad, who will be joined on the night by a host of celebrities, representatives of the shortlisted charities, as well as leaders from Britain’s best known and best-loved charities.
Matthew Nolan, chief executive of Civil Society Media which organises the Charity Awards, congratulated Standing Together on making the highly-coveted shortlist. He said:
“For a quarter of a century now, the Charity Awards has been showcasing and celebrating the terrific work of UK charities large and small.
“At a time when the sector is struggling with higher costs, shrinking donations, and ever-increasing demand for its work, it is reassuring and inspiring to see the extent and quality of charitable activity that is still going on across the country.
“We offer our heartfelt congratulations to all the charities on this year’s shortlist; we know that times are tough, and you should all be very proud of getting this far. We wish Standing Together the best of luck on the night.”
Peter Hugh Smith, chief executive at CCLA, Overall Partner of the Charity Awards, said:
“Every year, the Charity Awards serve as a moment for the sector to reflect and acknowledge the transformative power of compassion, determination, and resilience. The awards amplify the voices of those making a difference, inspiring others to join in creating positive change.
“We're honoured to renew our role as the Charity Awards’ Overall Partner, championing the remarkable efforts of charities, large and small, right across the UK.”
The Shortlist 2025:
Animals & the environment
The Mayhew Home
StreetVet
Trees for Cities
Arts, culture & heritage
Kilmartin Museum
Scene & Heard
Services For Education
Campaigning & advocacy
Ashden Climate Solutions
The Donkey Sanctuary
National AIDS Trust
Children & youth
Delight Charity
MYTIME Young Carers
Spark Inside
Disability
The Brain Charity
icandance
National Autistic Society
Education & training
Get Further
Holocaust Education Trust
St John’s Hospice North Lancashire and South Lakes
Grantmaking & funding
Cumbria Community Foundation
Project Giving Back
Steve Morgan Foundation
Healthcare & medical research
4Louis
Friends of Moorfields Eye Hospital
Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse (STADA)
International aid & development
Alfanar Venture Philanthropy
Oxfam
Windle Trust International
Social care, advice & support
Advance Advocacy and Non Violence Community Education
Street Talk
Turning Tides Homelessness
For more information about the Charity Awards 2025, please contact:
Jenni O’Donovan, 020 7819 1200, jenni.odonovan@civilsociety.co.uk
The panel of judges for 2025 is:
Chris Sherwood, chief executive, NSPCC (chair)
André Clarke, director of charity development, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales
Martin Edwards, chief executive, Julia’s House
Katie Ghose, chief executive, KIDS
Gemma Gooch, head of charities distribution, Rathbones
Richard Hawkes OBE, chief executive, British Asian Trust
Jehangir Malik OBE, consultant and adviser to UNICEF South Asia
Farah Nazeer, chief executive, Women’s Aid
Cathy Phelan-Watkins, owner and chair, Civil Society Media
Shane Ryan, senior adviser to the National Lottery Community Fund
Sharika Sharma, head of business development, CCLA
Dr Priya Singh, chair, NCVO and executive director, the Society for Assistance of Medical Families
Julie Wilson-Dodd, transformation consultant
Karin Woodley CBE, chief executive, Cambridge House
Notes to editors:
The Charity Awards 2025, now running for the 25th year, is organised by Civil Society Media, publishers of Charity Finance, Fundraising and Governance & Leadership magazines and www.civilsociety.co.uk.
The Charity Awards is sponsored by CCLA. Founded in 1958, CCLA’s purpose is to help the not-for-profit sector maximise its impact on society by harnessing the power of investment markets. They have a long track record of instigating change for a better world with their pioneering work on climate, modern slavery and mental health.