Two of the UK’s foremost charitable entrepreneurs, Matthew Orr and Claire Mackintosh, were have been named winners of the prestigious Beacon Prize 2005/6.

Matthew and Claire were chosen for their joint innovation and creativity in charitable fundraising, through the creation of ShareGift, the share donation charity, which has generated millions for a vast range of charitable causes. ShareGift is the highly acclaimed charitable answer to the problem of how to dispose of small share holdings which would cost more to sell than they are worth. By collecting donations of these unwanted shares until there are enough to sell, Matthew and Claire release a steady stream of funds, which are used to support other UK charities. This painstaking work has unlocked millions of pounds over the years. To put it simply, without ShareGift, millions in charity funds would simply not exist in the UK.

ShareGift has become a phenomenal success and now has a multi-million pound turnover, which has benefited more than 1,000 different charities. Following the launch in 2005 of ShareGift USA, the potential for further replication internationally is immense, with charities all around the world benefiting from an entirely new income stream. Matthew and Claire have worked with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs to draft guidelines, alongside other organisations, to drive and assist donors to the charity sector.

Beacon Chairman Martyn Lewis comments: “From a seed of an idea to a multi-million pound scheme, ShareGift has shown that charitable giving can be exciting and dynamic. For this reason, I am delighted to see this exceptional pair receive a Beacon Prize.  This is brilliant and creative giving in the simplest way”.

Alongside Matthew and Claire, this year’s winners include charity champions such as Paul and Diana Lamplugh who are recognised for their work through the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, created after the disappearence of their daughter in 1986, working to establish a greater awareness of personal safety whilst addressing the issues of violence and aggression in society at large; homelessness campaigner John Bird, the founder of The Big Issue and the ‘Angel of Nagpur’, Leah Pattison, whose life has been devoted to working with lepers in central India.

Celebrating and raising the profile of charitable giving in the UK The Beacon Prize awards those who have made significant contribution to charity, whether through giving resources, time or specialist skills. The Prize Ceremony will take place in November 2006 when the winners will be inaugurated as Beacon Fellows, a community of Beacon Prize winners who together, champion charitable causes across the globe and nurture a wider culture of giving in the UK.  The ceremony will also see the overall Beacon Prize winner announced, receiving £30,000 to donate to the charitable cause of their choice. 

ENDS

For further information, please contact Victoria Walsh on 020 7861 8568 or email vwalsh@bell-pottinger.co.uk or Fintan Nicholls at Beacon on 020 7203 8295 or email fintan.nicholls@beaconfellowship.org.uk