Eminent philanthropist, Sigrid Rausing, has been announced today as the winner of the Judges' Special Beacon Prize. An independent panel of judges selected her following nomination by the public for her outstanding contribution to charity.

Sigrid was chosen for her enormous generosity in giving to valuable causes that often find it hard to generate funds. Using her own wealth, she created the Sigrid Rausing Trust which currently gives away £12.5 million a year to organisations that support human rights, women's rights, minority and indigenous rights, and social and environmental advocacy.

The money that Sigrid has donated over the years has allowed NGO's to grow on a sound financial footing and concentrate on carrying out the crucial work in which they are involved. Without her assistance, WOMANKIND would not have been as effective as it has been in helping women obtain their rights in countries like South Africa and Afghanistan. Other organisations that Sigrid has helped over the years include Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, Network for Social Change, Fund for Global Human Rights and The Hestia Fund.

Emily Stonor, Chief Executive of Beacon, said "Sigrid's generosity has allowed numerous organisations to carry out fantastic work that would otherwise have been impossible. We are proud to present her with this award on behalf of all the people who have benefited due to her actions."

Sigrid added, "It has been wonderful to be in a position in which I have been able to help so many organisations. The groups I support all do important work for people who are often forgotten. It is a privilege to help them carry this out."

The Beacon Prize celebrates and raises the profile of charitable giving in the UK by giving recognition to those who have made a significant contribution to charity, whether through giving resources, time or specialist skills. Sigrid is one of the 2004 Beacon Prize winners, who also include Sir Bob Geldof and Jamie Oliver.

ENDS For further information please contact Jennifer Morgan on 020 7861 8609 or email jmorgan@bell-pottinger.co.uk. or Emily Stonor at Beacon on 020 7849 6550 or email emily.stonor@beaconfellowship.org.uk

Editors Notes:

 

BEACON PRIZE 2004

Sigrid Rausing for her contribution to human and women's rights and the environment Prize category: Judges' Special Prize

Sigrid Rausing is a remarkable leading philanthropist who, from an early age, has worked hard to bring about social change.  She has set up a major foundation with her own wealth, the Sigrid Rausing Trust, which is now one of the top donors in the UK.  Under Sigrid's guidance and leadership, it has given away over £50 million in bold and innovative ways, setting an example for others.

Sigrid has a PhD in Anthropology and was an early member of the Network for Social Change. In the early 1990's she set up her first charitable trust and by the mid '90's created a major trust, the Sigrid Rausing Trust.  Sigrid chose to support a limited number of causes in which she profoundly believes and which often find it hard to raise funds, including human rights, women's rights, minority and indigenous rights, and social and environmental advocacy. 

Sigrid is directly involved in her trust, chairing its meetings and, with her trustees, deciding which groups to support and at what level.  The trust aims to give away £12.5 million in 2005.  The hallmark of the trust's work is its interest in social change and innovative ideas.  The trust's grants are offered in as flexible a way as possible and renewed on a yearly basis. Sigrid recognises that change takes time and that advocacy groups need long-term support in order to prosper.

The Sigrid Rausing Trust is currently Europe's largest private donor to groups that support women. It has been critical to the success of WOMANKIND, which campaigns for women's rights to be recognised in countries like South Africa and Afghanistan, and also of Rainbo, which works to prevent female genital mutilation in Africa.  The trust has enabled The Hestia Fund to be set up in the UK.  This organisation supports the development of women's advocacy centres, working to help families who are victims of domestic violence to stay in their own homes, instead of being forced out.

Sigrid's trust has contributed generously to Human Rights Watch, for which she has been a board member since 1996. She has also been the single largest donor to Amnesty International's new UK Human Rights Centre.  The trust enabled the Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture, in London, to fund the world's first purpose-built centre and was the founding funder of the world's first flexible loan fund for slum and shack dwellers, set up by the International Institute for Environment and Development. 

"She is a leading, respected philanthropist and one whom many wish to emulate." Maggie Baxter Executive Director of WOMANKIND

"As a member of the Human Rights Watch Board, she helped steer the organisation to address some of the most difficult human rights issues and to open new fields of research and action, for example in relation to women's and children's rights and the rights of other marginalized or exploited groups." Malcolm Smart, Director of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture

Beacon Fellowship Charitable Trust

The Beacon Fellowship Charitable Trust (Beacon) seeks to promote an improved culture of giving, in which it is natural for those who are best able to contribute to charitable and social causes, to use their time, energy, ability and resources for the public good.

The Beacon Prize is an annual awards scheme designed to recognise and showcase individuals who have made exceptional contributions to charitable or social causes.  The winners are likely to have helped create or transform a charity, project or cause through providing leadership, skill, time or money.

www.beaconfellowship.org.uk for press releases and biographies of the winners

Beacon Prize Winners 2004:

• Sir Bob Geldof - Leadership
• Dr Mohammad Amran - Community Builder
• Rosalind Portman - New Initiatives
• Professor Peter Guthrie - Creative Giving
• Bruce Crowther - Creative Giving
• Brigadier Peter Stewart-Richardson - Risk Taking
• Jake Bonsall - Young Philanthropist
• Jamie Oliver - Most Generous Celebrity
• John Studzinsky - Most Generous Business Leader
• Francesca D'Arcy - Most Generous Young Person
• Major Richard Carr-Gomm - Lifetime Achievement
• Sigrid Rausing - Judges' Special Prize
• Dr Frederick Mulder - Judges' Special Prize Ann Cotton - Judges' Special Prize
• Dr Mora Scott - Scotland
• Sir David Rowe-Beddoe - Wales
• Dennis Humble - England
• Niall Fitzduff - Northern Ireland