Manchester charity, Lorna Young Foundation, is celebrating after picking up the runner-up spot and additional funding in two categories at this year’s ScottishPower Foundation Awards.
The charity, which uses ethical trading and education to work towards the eradication of poverty, was recognised in both the Charity Champion and Education categories.
Ian Agnew was named Charity Champion runner-up and recognised for his efforts to educate people from disadvantaged backgrounds on ethical business while also creating community-led systems to help combat climate change.
Ian joined Lorna Young Foundation in 2006 as Founding Director after living and working in Namibia for several years for indigenous peoples’ and rights organisations. During his time at the charity, he has led on a number of social enterprise ventures to support marginalised communities and young people.
He has worked on numerous cross-cultural programmes and is a Fellow of the Ariane de Rothschild Fellowship in partnership with Columbia University. In 2018, he was appointed Chairperson of Lorna Young Foundation after 12 years as its Co-Director.
Ian said: “Our charity was named in memory of Lorna Young, a Scottish fairtrade pioneer who challenged the business sector to adopt both ethical policies and practices, so I’m immensely proud that the ScottishPower Foundation recognises our efforts to continue this legacy.
“I’d like to thank the Foundation for all the support it’s shown us and for the additional funding this award provides, which will have such a positive impact for us and the people we work with.”
As well as Ian’s success, the charity was runner-up in the Education category for its ‘Not Just Us’ project which works with Rochdale Borough Housing in Greater Manchester. The project provided an educational approach on ethical business practices to help tackle global poverty through community-based learning modules using reading, workshops and quizzes.
The programme seeks to give young people and communities the knowledge to change inequality in the world, both as informed consumers and the ethical entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
Participants get the opportunity to become ethical traders. To date, the programme has helped set up 30 new social enterprises in the north of England covering a range of ethical products from coffee sales through to cosmetics, chocolate and t-shirts.
Christina Longden, Director of Lorna Young Foundation, said: “There are few people working in the ethical business sector in the UK today who would give the amount of time, effort and advice to a small charity that Ian Agnew has done over the years.
“I’m delighted for him and thankful as well for our recognition in the Education Award as we’re very proud of our Not Just Us programme, which helps to educate and inspire so many.
“The ScottishPower Foundation support is very important to us, so it’s great to be recognised by them alongside other worthy winners.”
The double success at this year’s Awards sees Lorna Young Foundation win an additional £5,000 funding.
The ScottishPower Foundation Awards shine a light on projects that make a lasting and positive impact within communities across the country.
The charity projects were judged in five categories this year: Charity Champion, Community Engagement, Education, Innovation and – for 2022 only – the Legacy Award. The special, one-off Legacy Award celebrates the more than £10 million given to charities since the Foundation was set up in 2013.
Melanie Hill, Executive Officer and Trustee at the ScottishPower Foundation, said: “Huge congratulations to both Ian and the wider Lorna Young Foundation team for their respective recognition.
“Ian’s a wonderful example of dedication to helping others and he has given a lifetime of service to making a difference. Alongside this, the Not Just Us programme helps to inspire not only wonderful ideas, but also the next generation to have ethical practices at the front of their thoughts.
“I’m truly impressed by the work Ian and Lorna Young Foundation do and I’m looking forward to continuing to watch their work and seeing them build on their legacy – and ours – for many years to come.”
Further details on the winners and runners-up are available on the ScottishPower Foundation website: www.scottishpowerfoundation.com.
