Winners of the world’s only national awards celebrating those who support the well-being of men and boys have been announced at a ceremony at Stoller Hall in Manchester on Friday 25 November.
The National Men and Boys Awards, founded in 2020 by the Men and Boys Coalition charity, recognise individuals and organisations who have made an outstanding contribution to promoting care, compassion and social change for men and boys in the UK.
The winners and nominees address issues including social exclusion among young men, single fathers, the high rate of suicide among construction workers, prostate cancer awareness, male victims of childhood sexual abuse, boys’ educational underachievement and support for men experiencing eating disorders.
The awards ceremony was held as the culmination of the ‘No Man is an Island: Creating Communities and Nurturing Networks’ conference, the UK’s largest men and boys’ health and wellbeing event of the year.
The winners of the National Men and Boys Awards 2022 are:
- BBC1 documentary series, Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams, which follows the powerful impact of cricket on a group of marginalised young men;
- Billy McGranaghan, Founder of Dads House, a charity supporting single fathers facing the cost of living crisis in London;
- The Lighthouse Club construction industry charity, which provides emotional and financial support for men in the construction industry who have fallen on hard times;
- Erroll McKellar MBE, Founder of The Errol McKellar Foundation, for his campaign to raise men’s awareness of prostate cancer particularly among Black men who are at highest risk;
- Prof Alan White, Emeritus Professor Men’s Health, Leeds Beckett University, for his pioneering work championing the field of men’s health.
Dan Bell, CEO of the Men and Boys Coalition, said: “There is an incredible network of charities, practitioners and academics in the UK who are doing crucial, unsung work on the ground to support men and boys and raise awareness of the many issues they face — often on a shoestring.
“The Men and Boys Coalition was founded to champion the men and boys sector in the UK — and what better way to do that than to shout about this brilliant work with our National Men and Boys Awards.
“I am absolutely delighted to announce our award winners, whose work is quite literally re-shaping the understanding of, and provision for, issues of disadvantage that affect men and boys in the UK.”
Winners in each of the five Award categories are:
- Campaigner of the Year Award, sponsored by Lads Need Dads — For an individual showing outstanding achievement in providing care, compassion or social change for men and boys
Billy McGranaghan, Founder, Dads House, in recognition of his exceptional support for dads and families, ranging from law clinics and accommodation, through to dedicated responses to the pandemic and the cost of living crisis.
- Project of the Year, sponsored by HAVI — For a charity, organisation or project showing outstanding achievement in providing care, compassion or social change for men and boys
Lighthouse Club in recognition of the charity’s exceptional work providing emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to construction workers and their families.
Some 87% of construction workers are male, who also suffer disproportionately from issues such as high rates of suicide and workplace injuries.
- Award for Public Understanding, sponsored by ManDad Media — For a writer, academic or media creative who has made an outstanding contribution to our understanding of men and boys and their needs this year
BBC1 documentary series Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams produced by South Shore Productions, for directlytackling and compassionately raising awareness of issues impacting on young men, such as social isolation, rough sleeping and educational underachievement.
- Diversity and Inclusion Award, sponsored by HAVI — For any individual or organisation that has made an outstanding contribution to combatting unfair prejudice and discrimination against men and boys in all their diversity
Errol McKellar MBE in recognition of his exceptional work raising awareness of and encouraging men to get tested for prostate cancer, in particular among the highest risk group of men from black African or Caribbean backgrounds.
- Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Men and Boys — For any individual or organisation that has made a significant lifelong contribution to supporting men and boys
Alan White, Emeritus Professor of Men’s Health, Leeds Beckett University, for his pioneering work championing the field of men’s health, with outstanding achievements ranging from being the Founder and Co-director of the Centre for Men’s Health at Leeds Beckett University; to co-founder of the Men’s Health Forum, to leading on the European Commission ‘State of Men’s Health in Europe’ report.
The award winners were selected from a highly competitive field, with nominations from across the UK.
ENDS
For interviews and inquiries contact:
Dan Bell, CEO, Men and Boys Coalition
dan@menandboyscoalition.org.uk
07747 463 255
NOTES
The Men and Boys’ Coalition is a registered Charity representing the men’s sector in the UK. The Coalition has a membership of more than 100 leading charities, academics, journalists and advocates, whose work is dedicated to supporting the well-being of men and boys in the UK.
It is the UK’s only broad-based charity advocating on behalf of issues that disproportionately affecting men and boys. Issues addressed by the Coalition and its members include boys’ educational underachievement, men’s mental and physical health, fatherhood and male victims of domestic and sexual violence.
A key reason for the formation of the charity was that these issues are often interconnected – such as the impact of educational underachievement on lowered physical and mental health – and that male gendered issues are largely neglected by Government and policy makers.
Key data and information are available on the Men and Boys Coalition website here:
https://www.menandboyscoalition.org.uk/statistics
A full list of Coalition members is available here: