We're delighted to announce that Concern Universal have won the Hereford and Worcester Chamber of Commerce Community Enterprise of the Year award. We'd like to say a huge thank you to all the people who have contributed to achieving this accolade, particularly our school, business and other local community partners who engage with and support our work in so many ways.

Collecting the award at a ceremony at West Midlands Safari Park on Thursday, 10th June, Rachael Hodgetts, our Community Fundraising Coordinator said, "Inspiring and engaging people in our local community is so important if we are to create a fairer and more sustainable world together. This award is a testament to all the hard work that people at Concern Universal and our partners, in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the UK, have put in over the last 30 years."

As well as our practical work, to improve the daily lives of 1.5million people living in some of the world's poorest communities, the judges were impressed with how we engaged with our local community in the UK. As the largest organisation of its kind in the region, Concern Universal is respected for its positive engagement and commitment to local development needs, such as through development education and working with businesses.

We were awarded an EC grant this year, bringing funding for a three year project to engage with 90 schools in the local region, educating and inspiring 35,000 students about international and local issues surrounding development. This work is underway and 18 schools are taking part in this exciting project, with already over 2,600 students involved.

We believe that businesses can play a vital role in fighting poverty. So we are working to develop effective commercial and voluntary sector partnerships locally, that are both good for business and good for development. Concern Universal has significantly developed its interaction with local business in the past year, building on previous years. For example, hosting a ‘climate change seminar and dinner', with over 80 attendees from a wide mix of businesses, charities and local groups.

The voluntary principle is fundamental to our work. We could not run an office in the UK without them. Last year we benefited from the support of 13 volunteers, contributing nearly 3,000 hours of work, with a value to us of more than £26,000. Their contribution included developing and delivering workshops for local school children, supporting International visits and raising over £63,800 from grant making trusts.

A huge thanks to everyone involved.

For more information please contact Debbie Stenner on 01432 355111 or email debbie.stenner@concern-universal.org

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