The Sheila McKechnie Foundation supports campaigners to make a greater impact on local and national government. As you know, campaigners are increasingly setting the agenda for government and this new initiative is designed to give powerful backing for the next generation of high profile campaigners.

The Sheila McKechnie awards give campaigners a package of support, advice and skills development specific to their campaign issue. The package includes:

- a series of one-to-one coaching sessions on campaign tactics
- a residential skills development weekend with other campaigners. This year Brian Lamb from the RNID led sessions on building coalitions and mapping influences on decision makers
- opportunities to shadow decision makers. We arranged for a Zimbabwean campaigner to meet Hilary Benn
- mentoring from a senior national campaigner. We arranged for one campaigner to be mentored by a trade union health and safety officer

There are 9 categories:-
-Conflict Resolution
-Consumer Action
-Economic Justice
-Environment
-Health and Social Care
-International Campaigner
-Social Inclusion
-Transport
-Young Campaigners (18-24) in memory of Guy Hughes

The deadline for the Awards is the 18th of December.