Charity award winners announced

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Culture secretary James Purnell and Conservative MP John Bercow are among the winners at this year's ePolitix.com Charity Champion Awards.

Parliamentarians from both Houses were nominated for the awards by charities and campaign groups.

MPs and peers then voted on the shortlist to decide the winner in each category.

The awards were presented at a ceremony in Westminster on Wednesday evening hosted by Esther Rantzen.

"One of the less known facts about many MPs and peers is the real support, strength and voice they give a huge variety of charities, particularly when things get tough in a highly competitive climate," she said.

"I have been involved with these awards since they began five years ago, and have been delighted and impressed by this important work, which would otherwise go unnoticed and uncelebrated."

Bryony Fletcher, head of communications at ePolitix.com, added: "In an age of political cynicism, it is important to highlight the positive work that individual MPs and peers do.

"While this good work by members of all political parties can sometimes struggle to attract widespread attention, charities and campaign groups certainly continue to value it."

Purnell was voted 'Older People's Champion' after he was nominated in recognition of his work both inside and outside Parliament for older people in the UK.

Denise Bates, chief executive of Age Concern Tameside which covers the culture secretary's constituency, praised their "positive relationship with him which extends beyond his influential work around pensions".

"He has a genuine, informed interest across the range of issues which affect older people," she added.

This year the outstanding achievement award went to crossbencher Baroness Finlay of Landaff.

"I feel privileged to receive this award. I have always felt the need to stand up for vulnerable people," she said.

"That's why I have vigorously supported campaigns to protect children and to ensure that dying people get the expert care they need.

"Charities, from the largest to the smallest, make a huge difference to vulnerable peoples' lives day in day out."

Breakthrough Breast Cancer was named the 'most effective campaigning charity', while Labour's Ben Bradshaw said he was "delighted, if a little embarrassed" to have won the 'Animal Welfare Champion' award for the second time.

Bercow received two awards, being named both 'Disability Champion' for his work with children suffering from communication impairments and 'International Champion' for his work highlighting the situation in Burma.

"The government of Burma is one of the most bestial dictatorships in the world. Too many people in Burma have suffered too much for too long, with too little done to help them," he said.

The Conservative MP pledged to "keep banging on about the subject for as long as necessary".

Labour's Natascha Engel, named 'Children and Youth Champion', said: "Children and young people are affected by exactly the same issues as adults but less able to represent their interests and concerns. I hope that this award goes at least some way to improving this situation."

Dave Anderson, Labour MP for Blaydon, won the award in the culture and sport category having been nominated by Show Racism the Red Card.

"This award is not for me but everyone concerned," said Anderson.

"I am proud to have played a small part in this charity and I hope that it goes from strength to strength in order to eradicate the scar of racism from this country."

Commons children, schools and families committee chairman Barry Sheerman won the 'Environment Champion' award. He said the awards "help to raise the profile of the charitable sector and to strengthen the links between charities and parliamentarians".

"I have been a champion of environmental issues throughout my parliamentary career, initially with Urban Mines in Yorkshire and most recently with the John Clare Education and Environment Trust, and I look forward to continuing my work and support for these charities and others," he said.

From the upper House, Baroness Gould of Potternewton was named 'Health Champion' having been nominated for the award by the Joint Epilepsy Council.

"Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition affecting 382,000 people in England," she said.

"Every year 990 people in England die of epilepsy-related causes. The tragedy is that many are avoidable.

"The NHS is failing people with epilepsy, but even in this world of competing health interests, the case for improving epilepsy services is overwhelming."