South African born Heather Reynolds whose pioneering work has given refuge to thousands of African children has been awarded a prestigious Beacon Prize for Community Builder.

Heather joins the ranks of previous Beacon winners such as Sir Bob Geldof, Jamie Oliver and environmentalist, Zac Goldsmith who have all been recognized for their charitable work through what has become known as the 'Nobel Prize of the charity world', first coined by Prime Minister Gordon Brown when he was Chancellor.

She is just one of the 13 recipients of the 2007 Prize, all of whom were chosen for their exceptional philanthropic contribution through the giving of their time, money and skills in order to benefit specific charitable causes.

As founder of 'God's Golden Acre', a safe haven that Reynolds started in her own home and has since moved to Cato Ridge in South Africa, Heather has given hope and comfort to more than 4000 orphaned and abandoned children.

Here the children, who might otherwise have been left to die alone, receive care from volunteers in small unit foster families.

KwaZulu Natal is the area most afflicted by HIV/AIDS in the world and thousands of children are affected themselves or orphaned because of it. Having seen the devastation caused by the pandemic, Heather was inspired to care for these children and build a community to support them.

Heather's work is respected and admired around the world and she frequently speaks at conferences to motivate others to follow in her footsteps, including presenting a paper at the World AIDS Conference in 2000.

Beacon's Chairman Martyn Lewis said: "We are delighted to honour Heather with a Beacon Prize. She has transformed the lives of literally thousands of children in South Africa, providing care to those infected with, or orphaned by, HIV/AIDS."

The Prize Ceremony took place on 22nd November at The Banqueting House, Whitehall, when 13 winners were 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.

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For further information on the Beacon Prize, winners' biographies and photos of the 2007 award recipients or on The Beacon Fellowship Charitable Trust contact Fintan Nicholls on 0207 203 8295 or email fintan.nicholls@beaconfellowship.org.uk