The GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT Awards

The annual GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT Awards are run in partnership with The King's Fund to recognise and promote excellence in community healthcare.

This is the 14th year of the awards and so far 280 UK community healthcare charities have received almost £3.5 million in acknowledgement of their outstanding work.

To be eligible for an IMPACT Award, organisations must have an annual income less than £1.5 million and have been operating in the UK for at least three years. Ten awards of £25,000 are made to each winning organisation, with one overall winner being awarded an additional f 10,000. Five highly commended organisations are awarded £5,000 and five runners-up receive £3,000. In addition the winning and highly commended organisations are offered free training valued at £4,000.

The ten IMPACT Award winners competed with over 400 other entrants and were assessed against the six areas of IMPACT:

Age Concern Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan reaches out to older people in the region, many of whom live alone, are physically frail and live below the poverty line.

Volunteers are the cornerstone of the organisation, with over 300 providing support to its innovative projects.

Its Placement Advisor's Service, whereby advisors work with older people who need to move from hospital into a care home, helps reduce the distress that older people and their families feel when they can no longer live alone.

A counselling service provides professional support to over 100 older people each year, while the Ageing Well Programme and Good Neighbour Schemes provide activities and services that break down the isolation felt by many.

One of its main partnerships has been to provide support to GPs in a deprived area of Cardiff. A Community Liaison Officer works with a multi-disciplinary health team to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions.

Judges' Comments

Age Concern Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan is a creative organisation, responding to new and emerging issues affecting older people. In the current difficult financial climate, the charity is working hard to continue to show innovation. Age Concem has excellent links with the local community and is committed to targeting the needs of older people.