Spirit of Manchester Awards

Spirit of manchester 2024 logo

The Spirit of Manchester Awards are a series of awards celebrating and highlighting the excellent work being carried out in Manchester’s voluntary and community sector. The Spirit of Manchester 2024 Awards Ceremony took place on Thursday 3 October. Congratulations to all of the shortlisted individuals and organisations and the winners of the awards!

Thank you to our judging panel for giving their time to go through all the nominations to shortlist three individuals/organisations for each category. (This excludes the Young Volunteer of the Year Award and the Dr Sylvia Sham Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Sector where an outright winner is chosen in advance by the judges).

For 2024, we introduced our newest category, the Community and Business Collaboration Award, to celebrate the VCSE organisations and businesses working together in Manchester to help make a difference in the community. 

To view the Spirit of Manchester 2024 brochure, please click here.  

To view the Spirit of Manchester 2024 shortlisted and winner videos, please click here


Shortlist and Winners

Volunteer of the Year Winner: Sammy Minshull  

Shortlisted

  • Holly Taberner
  • Maria Romanenko

Volunteering Team Winner: SHINE 

Shortlisted

  • Caritas Salford
  • Manchester Central Foodbank

Volunteer Involving Organisation Winner: Home-Start Manchester

Shortlisted

  • MASH
  • LGBT Foundation

Young Volunteer of the Year (in acknowledgement of Volunteers' Week in June 2024) (Supported by Clyde & Co) Winner: Amelia McCallum


Tackling Inequalities (Supported by Manchester City Council – Making Manchester Fairer) Winner: Across Ummah CIC

Shortlisted

  • Europia
  • Nurturing Foundations

Inspiring Campaign Winner: Future Directions Green Superheroes

Shortlisted

  • Lifeshare
  • SNUG

Creative Community Spirit Winner: Segment Arts, Moss Side Powerhouse and Crossing Footprints

Shortlisted

  • Rain Dance Colour Festival
  • Edge Theatre

Partnership and Collaboration (Supported by Wythenshawe Community Housing Group) Winner: Smart Works & AJ Bell

Shortlisted

  • Street Engagement Hub Manchester
  • GLL / Better

Trustee/Committee Member of the Year (in acknowledgement of Trustees Week in November 2024) Winner: Colette Cronshaw

Shortlisted

  • Jane Carroll
  • Kotieba Ramadan

Service User Involving Organisation Winner: Future Directions CIC

Shortlisted

  • Coffee4Craig
  • Gaddum Engagement Team

Social Economy Champion Winner: She Leads for Legacy

Shortlisted

  • Beth Powell
  • The Old Abbey Tap House

Community Cohesion (Supported by One Manchester) Winner: Happy Somedays

Shortlisted

  • North Manchester Community Partnership
  • Tree of Life Centre

Community and Business Collaboration (Supported by CityCo) Winner: Cracking Good Food & Microsoft NW Social Impact team

Shortlisted

  • Peninsula Group
  • Greater Manchester Law Centre & Clyde & Co

The Dr Sylvia Sham Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Voluntary Sector Winner: Alma Chadfield, Tree of Life Centre



Supporters
There are a number of ways you can become a supporter of our Spirit of Manchester Awards and help us celebrate and reward the voluntary and community sector for all their hard work. See more on how to be a supporter.

Spirit of Manchester Awards 2023 Winners and Shortlist

Spirit of Manchester 2023 Awards brochure 
Find out about all the amazing organisations and individuals that were shortlisted for the Spirit of Manchester Awards 2023. Download our Spirit of Manchester 2023 Awards brochure

Spirit of Manchester 2023 Review
Thank you to everyone who helped support the Spirit of Manchester 2023 and to those who attended the event. Our Spirit of Manchester 2023 review is now available to view by clicking here

Take a look at the winners from last year’s awards here.

How it works 
Click here for how the process works, how nominations are handled and how all of this happens.