Northamptonshire charity Family Support Link receive national recognition as a Weston Charity Awards Winner

Family Support Link, a Northamptonshire charity supporting families affected by drug and alcohol use has had the impact of its current services and future ambitions recognised with its selection as a 2023 Weston Charity Awards winner.

The award gives the charity the chance to invest in its future with ten months of strategic planning support from a dedicated team of four business experts, thanks to pro bono charity Pilotlight and a core grant of £6,500 from the Garfield Weston Foundation.

Family Support Link was chosen from over 100 applicants, all of whom are frontline charities delivering youth, welfare, community or environment services in the North of England, the Midlands and Wales. Northamptonshire based Souster Youth Trust was also selected as a winner.

Julia Feazey from Family Support Link said:“We are incredibly proud to be given this recognition of our work. There are so many families affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol use; many behind closed doors. We give them a lifeline: a chance to be heard and to have their own needs recognised. We would love for this support to be more widely available, helping us to build communication and understanding across families at an earlier stage. This award will give us access to the business experts who can help us to grow and develop in ways that we would struggle to envisage without their support, and we are thrilled to be given the chance to work with them.”

In congratulating Family Support Link, Philippa Charles, Director of the Garfield Weston Foundation said:“Our Trustees are delighted to be able to support a record number of charities this year through the Weston Charity Awards. The Awards underscore the Foundation's passion for nurturing and empowering charities to thrive and support those who need it most.”

Ed Mayo, Chief Executive of Pilotlight, the charity which is connecting Family Support Link with a team of coaches drawn from a range of businesses and other organisations said:“When you fall, you want someone to catch you. Small charities offer a safety net for so many people who are vulnerable and in need. Yet small charities typically do not have the support and help that they need themselves in order to sustain their work and spread their impact. We are proud to be able to assist 23 inspiring charities through the Weston Charity Awards over the coming year.”

www.pilotlight.org.uk/weston-charity-awards