Centres, education and day services
Housing and individual support
Arts, sport and wellbeing
Holidays, short breaks and activity groups
A gift to Sense, no matter how small, can make a real difference to the lives of people with complex disabilities.
Recognising the outstanding achievements of people living with complex disabilities, as well as the staff, carers, family members, volunteers and fundraisers that support them.
Who's your Sense superstar? The Sense Awards recognise people's fantastic achievements in one of our 16 award categories.
The Sense Awards 2019 were held at our innovative multi-purpose community centre Sense TouchBase Pears, Birmingham, on Thursday 19 September.
Our media partner this year was Able Magazine who kindly gave us 25 subscriptions to give away.
Take a look at who the 2019 Sense Award winners are:
Campaigner of the Year Keith Butler
Carer of the Year Kirsty Davies
Collaboration of the Year Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA)
Diane Cardwell Award for Professional Excellence Elaine Turner and Hastings Avenue
Individual Fundraiser of the Year Mark Hamsher with Sian McKenzie
Innovation of the Year Wear Works
Media of the Year The Sun
Outstanding Contribution to International Development Geoffrey Atieli
Parliamentarian of the Year Dr Lisa Cameron MP
Person of the Year Martin Solomon
Peggy Freeman Award for Exceptional Contribution Anne Cheesbrough
Quality Award Board Award 53a Shipdham Road in Dereham
Sibling of the Year Nathaniel Greenhouse
Team Fundraiser of the Year Christine Brennan and Lindsay Cornish
Volunteer of the Year Chrissie Blake
Young Person of the Year Saihan Islam
This year's categories
There are 16 categories, including some brand new ones, so have a look below.
Do you know a person who is deafblind, has sensory impairments and/or has complex needs, who is excelling in a particular area? Have they overcome a great challenge, shown incredible passion or been exceptionally creative? Perhaps they have been successful in campaigning, fundraising, awareness-raising or volunteering?
Young Person of the Year
Do you know a person who is deafblind, has sensory impairments and/or complex needs under the age of 25 who has been particularly creative, overcome adversity with courage, or made a positive impact in their community? Perhaps they've learned a new skill and used this to help themselves in their everyday life or to help others?
Sibling of the Year
Do you know someone who's supported their sibling to do something amazing? Have they created social or learning opportunities for their brother or sister? Do you know a child who's taken on extra responsibilities? Perhaps they have shown exceptional compassion or understanding for their age?
Carer of the Year
Do you know a person or family member with caring responsibilities who is remarkable? Have they supported you, or someone you know, to do something new or exciting?
Has a Sense volunteer that you know shown great dedication and support? Have they developed new skills, shown commitment and exceeded expectations resulting in a positive impact on those they support?
Together, we campaign for the rights of people living with complex disabilities to take part in life. Do you know someone who has championed the rights of people living with complex disabilities, at a local and national level? From tackling loneliness of disabled people in the community to engaging with MPs about social care, we'd love to hear about disability campaigners.
Amazing things can happen when two organisations and teams come together with a shared vision in mind. Do you know an organisation or team that collaborated with someone to create something special for people with complex disabilities?
Individual Fundraiser of the Year
Sense's work wouldn't be possible without the support of our fundraisers. Do you know someone who's dedicated their time to fundraise for Sense? Has someone created an exciting event to engage people?
Team Fundraiser of the Year
The support of our fundraisers is vital and team fundraising is always good fun! Perhaps you know a team that have raised an impressive amount of money for Sense and gone out of their way to support our cause?
Parliamentarian of the Year
This award is a closed category and recognises the work of a parliamentarian in promoting positive change for disabled people.
Media of the Year
This award is a closed category and recognised the work of a journalist, media outlet or programme in promoting positive change for disabled people.
Innovation of the Year
Do you know someone who has come up with a new idea, device, method or creative thoughts that supports people with complex disabilities? From finding creative new ways to connect people to supporting new ways of communication, we'd love to hear about any new innovations from across sectors.
Outstanding contribution to International Development
This award recognises outstanding achievements of staff and partners of Sense International. We'd love to hear about strategic and inspiring work that has raised awareness of deafblindness, brought new quality services to people with deafblindness and their families, initiatives that take innovative approaches to improve the lives of people with deafblindness or wins that have changed the national government's approach. We are also keen to celebrate 'unsung heroes' making an exceptional contribution to work on deafblindness.
Diane Cardwell Award for Professional Excellence
Do you know someone who works at Sense that has gone above and beyond their role to achieve excellence? Has a person, team or project made a positive impact on the lives of people who are deafblind, have sensory impairments and/or complex needs?
This award is named after Diane Cardwell, who was a Sense support worker and children's intervenor who won the Award for Professional Excellence in 2013. She sadly passed away in 2018 and we decided to name this award in her honour.
Peggy Freeman Award for Exceptional Contribution
Each year someone at Sense will be honoured with accolade of the Peggy Freeman Exceptional Contribution Award. This is a closed award category.
This award is named after Peggy Freeman, one of the parents who co-founded the National Deafblind and Rubella Association in 1955 (the organisation which later became Sense).
Quality Board Award
This award is a closed category and the winner is chosen by the Independent Sense Quality Board. The panel look for a Sense service which has shown exemplary evidence of good practice and innovation throughout the year.
Safeguarding and keeping safe
Sense is a registered Charity No. 289868. Registered as a Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No. 01825301. Registered office at 101 Pentonville Road, London N1 9LG.
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