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RoadPeace wins Guardian Charity Award
RoadPeace’s work for and on behalf of road crash victims has been recognised by the Guardian, Media Trust and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. Out of 560 applicants, RoadPeace was one of the five winners of the Guardian Charity Awards in December 2008.
The panel rightly described RoadPeace’s work as pioneering. RoadPeace provided the first helpline for road crash victims and first guide for families bereaved in road crashes and initiated the Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, which 12 years later was adopted by the UN as World Day of Remembrance. Fifteen years on, we are still providing support and assistance through a helpline and befriender network, as well as information based on practical experience and research.
"It has taken 15 years, to bring the issues of road death and injury and road victim treatment firmly onto the political agenda – RoadPeace played a key role in achieving this. On behalf of the victims we represent, we will now ensure that the quality of the post crash response – investigation, criminal and civil justice and social and medical treatment – will correspond to satisfactory national or international standards."
Brigitte Chaudhry MBE, Founder & President RoadPeace
"We thank the Guardian very much for this award and for the recognition that this represents, not of us, but of the people who have suffered a traumatic bereavement or life-changing injuries, and who need our practical advice and support. We are grateful for this acknowledgement of our cause and the encouragement this gives us to redouble our efforts."
Cynthia Barlow, RoadPeace Chair Read Cynthia's full acceptance speech
Reporting on the awards, The Guardian wrote “If the winners of the Guardian charity awards tell us anything it is that original,imaginative ideas are the lifeblood of the thousands of small organisations around the country, often working under great financial pressure. And the impact they are having is as impressive as the variety of ideas. NCVO chief executive Stuart Etherington and judge of the awards said of the winners "I think they are just extraordinarily focused and very specific about what they wish to achieve. What was interesting was how what often began as a very simple idea turned into something really effective."
A short video about RoadPeace, viewed by the award judges, is available to watch here.
