Later this month, The Mirror will celebrate the 25th Pride of Britain Awards – and ahead of the ceremony, we’ve rounded up some of the incredible finalists for ITV’s Fundraiser of the Year award
The nominees for the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, in partnership with TSB, embody the very best of humanity.
Whether driven by personal experiences or the desire to help others, they show how one person’s efforts can create lasting change and impact countless lives.
Across the UK there are 17 nominations for ITV’s Fundraiser of The Year award, celebrating people in different regions who have gone above and beyond to raise funds for charity – and all of them are worthy winners.
But while we await the judges’ decision, in the second of two articles we look at those in the running for the coveted gong on the big night…
Charlotte Fairall
Charlotte Fairall is making life better for thousands of families with children in hospital. She founded the charity Sophie’s Legacy in honour of her 10-year-old daughter, Sophie, who passed away from cancer in 2021. During Sophie’s treatment, Charlotte struggled to find food and essentials while staying overnight at the hospital, leading to one of Sophie’s dying wishes: to improve the support system for parents with children in hospitals.
“Sophie used to say, you are in hospital because I am unwell, why are they not feeding you?” says Charlotte, of Stubbington, Hampshire. In the last year, Sophie’s Legacy raised £450,000, helping over 60,000 families at 12 hospitals, with plans to expand to 15 more. Charlotte organises various fundraising events and is determined to extend this initiative nationwide. “I am very driven, and I want this to be achieved,” explains the inspiring mum.
Laura Hughes
For the last five years Laura Hughes, from Formby, Liverpool, has dedicated her life to fighting knife crime. But the reason behind it is devastating. In 2001, her brother Colin McGinty was just 21 when he was stabbed to death in a case of mistaken identity. “It was brutal and even now it’s brutal. What happened to Colin is happening more and more. More families are going through it,” explains Laura. In 2019, she founded the charity kNOw Knife Crime to raise awareness and funds for bleed control kits, which are now placed across Merseyside and the UK. Laura delivers talks in schools about the dangers of carrying knives and has raised over £115,000 for the kits doing challenges such as running a marathon. While she hopes no one will need the kits, she says: “Whenever you see anyone socialising we want to have equipment there. We are creating a positive legacy in Colin’s name.”
Tim Bell
Tim Bell says his philosophy in life is to “make people smile” – and he certainly does that. The 79-year-old retired engineer from Sheerness, Kent, has cleverly transformed an ordinary mobility scooter into a mock-up air ambulance complete with sound effects, a smoke machine and even a Paddington Bear toy on the tail. The invention serves to attract attention, as well as the fact he dresses up, dances, and chats with locals in order to persuade them to donate to the Kent Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance (KSS). “I am in awe of what they do,” explains humble Tim. ‘It’s one of the reasons I’ve stuck with the air ambulance because they’re such lovely people to fundraise for..” And the charity is in awe of him too, because Tim’s fundraising has raised over £56,000 for the cause. He has also turned another mobility scooter into an army tank and at nearly 80 shows no signs of slowing down
Martin Cosser
Martin Cosser’s life was irreparably changed forever when his 17-year-old son Charlie was stabbed to death in July 2023 at an end-of-term party. Whilst Charlie was on life support, Martin from Milford, Surrey, made him a promise – to dedicate his life to tackling knife crime. “I said, ‘You will have a legacy son, because you’re not old enough to build your own but I will make sure everyone knows who you are,” explains the devastated dad. He launched the charity Charlie’s Promise in his son’s memory and works tirelessly to educate young people on the impact of knife crime while raising funds to provide support to victims’ families. Through school presentations and various events, including sports tournaments and family fun runs, Martin has raised nearly £200,000 to honour his son’s memory and educate young people about the dangers of knife crime. “Charlie would be immensely proud, I am sure,” says Martin.
Sergio Petrucci
On the morning of his daughter’s life-saving heart surgery, Sergio Petrucci made a promise. Looking out at the striking sunrise he vowed that if his two-year-old, Luna, fully recovered he would do all he could to help those who need cardiac care. Thankfully his daughter pulled through her operation at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle in 2015, and this prompted Sergio to create the Red Sky Foundation. The charity supports people with heart conditions, raises funds for vital equipment and aftercare, such as heart and brain scan machines, and has installed over 700 defibrillators in schools and public spaces. Red Sky also offers training in CPR and defibrillator use, as well as counselling services for those affected by heart disease or cardiac events. To date, the charity has raised over £2 million. Despite all this, Sergio insists he’s not a hero. “The people who are heroes are the ones we help”.
Stanley Tomkins
Stanley Tomkins has been a dedicated fundraiser in Kilkeel, County Down, since moving there in the 1970s to manage the local TSB bank. Over the decades, he has raised more than £750,000 for Cancer Research and contributed to other causes, including Save the Children and Kilkeel’s Jim’s Youth Centre. The funds have helped expand the youth centre and establish a mental health hub offering counselling and outreach services for young people. His fundraising is driven by personal loss, having lost his wife to breast cancer and a daughter to a brain tumour. “That stuff eggs you on to try and help out,” he says. Despite turning 87, Stanley remains active in organising street collections and other initiatives, known for his unwavering commitment to helping others in his community. Ever modest, Stanley says, “It is all due to the people in Kilkeel.”
Gary Cook
Through his passion for metal detecting, Gary Cook from Wiltshire has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity. He organises the annual Rodney Cook Memorial Rally in memory of his father, who passed away from cancer in 2017. “My father was not just my dad, but my best mate,” explains Gary. The rally has gained immense popularity, with tickets selling out within minutes, and people from around the world attending the event, which is held at a different location each year and is referred to as “the Glastonbury of metal detecting.” Gary, who calls his father his hero and mentor, started the event to support cancer charities and has so far raised £418,000 for the RUHX charity of the Royal United Hospitals in Bath and the Great Western Hospital charity in Swindon. “The best part is when we hand the cheque over. If it helps one family to not have to go through what I went through it is all worth it.”
Joshua Denning
Joshua Denning, 20, is a well-known and beloved figure in the seaside town of Lyme Regis, Dorset. Rain or shine, Joshua, who has autism, can be found with his signature collection bucket, tirelessly raising money for local charities. Since the age of eight, Joshua has raised around £50,000 for local charities such as the Lyme Regis RNLI, Lyme Regis Regatta, and the Royal British Legion. “I come down to raise money for local organisations every single day. It makes me feel good,” says Joshua. Always smiling, he engages the community with friendly conversations while raising funds, making him a go-to figure for any charitable need in the town. His dedication and positive spirit have turned him into a local celebrity, even earning him the honour of switching on the town’s Christmas lights.
