For the leadership she has shown in tackling local problems and issues in her community, Carol Wiggins from Merseyside has been nominated to receive a major new honour for her philanthropic endeavours - The Beacon Prize 2003.

Carol has been chosen as a winner in the Leadership category for her remarkable work tackling unemployment and social deprivation head on. Carol, an unemployed mother of three set up the Huyton Community Partnership (HCP), Merseyside, in the mid 1990s to help give local people the knowledge and confidence to gain skills, experience and self-belief to return to work, and to take real pride in their local community.

Beacon is a new charitable initiative which is raising the profile of giving in the UK while actively acknowledging and rewarding exceptional philanthropic acts by individuals.

Nominees who will also be recognised include two social entrepreneurs who are helping African farmers improve their quality of life and a schoolgirl who has raised funds through her own musical compositions for Afghan Refugees.

All the winners of the inaugural Beacon Prize 2003 have been selected by an expert panel of judges from an overwhelming response of 765 nominations. The final fourteen winners were chosen for their exceptional charitable efforts and because they are an inspiration for others to give of their time, money or expertise.

The full list of Beacon Prize winners 2003 is: -

• Professor David Morley - Lifetime Achievement
• Lord Bhatia of Hampton - Leadership
• Carol Wiggins - Leadership
• Dr Martin Fisher & Nick Moon - Creative Giving
• Tom Hunter - Creative Giving
• Jason Maude - Start Up
• Dame Stephanie Shirley - Start Up
• David Constantine - Courage
• Zac Goldsmith - Young Philanthropist
• Sarah Francis - Young Philanthropist
• Niall Quinn - Judge's Special Prize
• John Profumo - Judge's Special Prize
• Sir J Paul Getty - Judge's Special Posthumous Prize

The winners will be invited to attend a ceremony in the New Year at No. 11 Downing Street, hosted by the Rt. Hon Gordon Brown, MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer. Here the winners will be presented with their prizes and the overall winner, who will receive a £20,000 donation for their charity, will also be announced.

In addition, they will be invited to become the first Beacon Fellows, who will help to shape the future of the charity and be an inspiration to other philanthropists.

Commenting on the announcement of the winner, Beacon's Chief Executive Emily Stonor, said: "The Beacon Prize is not about winners and losers. It's about celebrating and recognising people from whom we can all learn. We all have something to give - each and every one of us is capable of making a difference."

David Charters, Chair of Trustees, stated "In an age of cynicism, disengagement and increasing indifference these nominations show that many extraordinary people are working tirelessly and successfully to make a positive difference to society. We are still a nation of true philanthropists, reflecting our long and rich history of charitable activity."

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For further information please contact: Suzi Nealson or Anne Sampson at Good Relations on 0207 861 3217 or email snealson@goodrelations.co.uk or Emily Stonor at Beacon 0207 849 6550 or email emily.stonor@beaconfellowship.org.uk