2023’s National Diversity Awards Finalists Revealed

The National Diversity Awards have revealed this year’s finalists from over 90,000 nominations from across the UK. There are approximately 120 nominees recognized for their various achievements nationwide for the twelfth National Diversity Awards (NDA), including several myGwork corporate members and community partners. They include HSBC, Oracle, HCA Healthcare UK, MSD, Diversity Role Models and London LGBTQ+ Community Centre.

Image credit: National Diversity Awards

As in previous years, the nominees are extraordinarily diverse. Group nominations range from a safe space transgender network to an inclusive yoga app. Meanwhile, individual nominees include a mother raising awareness of knife crime following the murder of her son and 15-year-old disability role model who handwrites 1,500 Christmas cards to spread a little happiness in her hometown.

A highlight in the diversity calendar, the NDA unites UK citizens irrespective of race, faith, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, and culture. Hailed as the ‘Golden Globes’ of the diversity world, the National Diversity Awards will be hosted by world-renowned broadcaster, author, presenter, and journalist Clare Balding, CBE (pictured below) who, in her life and through her work, champions diversity, inclusion and equity.

I'm so looking forward to hosting these awards and giving everyone the chance to celebrate the substantial achievements of our fabulously diverse community across a whole range of industries, businesses and charities,” shared Clare Balding, CBE. “It's an important spotlight on those who make the world a better place for the full rainbow of society.”

Community organisations and role models from across the UK will head to the the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral on 15th September to find out who has won in the following categories:

Positive Role Model: Age / Disability / Gender / LGBT / Race, Faith or Religion

Community Organisation: Age / Disability / Gender / LGBT / Race, Faith or Religion / Multi-Strand

Lifetime Achiever

Celebrity of the Year

Entrepreneur of Excellence

Diverse Company

Activist Katie Piper, Emmerdale star Ash Palmisciano and Paralympic Gold Medallist Danny Crates were on this year’s judging panel, dedicating their time to help choose the highly anticipated shortlist. Amongst the winners will be charities, campaigners, and activists, all of whom work tirelessly to combat injustice and discrimination in very different ways.

Direct Line Group, Auto Trader, OVO and United Utilities are just some of the sponsors of these awards that have paid tribute to thousands of grass root groups and diversity champions since its inception. ITV News also supports this celebration of diverse talent that provides a platform for Britain’s unsung heroes.

“We are proud to support the National Diversity Awards and recognise positive role models and organisations who are leading the way when it comes to inclusion,” stated Louise Bailey, Diversity & Inclusion Accelerator at OVO Energy. This allows us to celebrate all the wonderful people dedicated to building belonging and recognise their work so that we can thank them and learn from them.”

The full list of shortlisted nominees is as follows:

Positive Role Model (Age category)

J Grange, Angel Farley, Joshua Stunell, Raga D’Silva, Ciara McCarthy, Steve Kipps, Chloe Me Just Me, Zachary Knight

Positive Role Model (Disability category)

Ted Morris, Keisha Adair Swaby, Dave Steele, Ruth Spurr, Dan Harris, Ceri Davies, Dave Kelly, Nicola Carey-Shine

Positive Role Model (Gender category)

Sylvia Mac, Sobiya Jawaid, Jodie Hughes, Samantha Hiew, DJ Mystikle, Bushra Ahmed, Lee Chambers, Victoria Oldman

Positive Role Model (LGBT category)

Lucy Clark, Joel Mordi, Matthew Hodson, Charlotte Galloway, Dave Moreton, Ioannis Ntanos, Dr Helen Webberley, Oliver Clark

Positive Role Model (Race, Faith, Religion category)

Mrs Sukhdev Kaur Reel, Jawad Qamar, Yetunde Adeshile, Marcell Edwards, George White, Antonio Ferreira, Naomie Praise, Rev. Steve Chalke

Community Organization (Age category)

Autistic FC, You Can Community Club, Out Together, Tia’s Crown, Whizz-Kidz, The Sensory Place, 2BU Somerset, Conscious Youth CIC

Community Organization (Disability category)

ADHDadultUK, International Mixed Ability Sports, Changing Places UK, StedyChefs Learning Centre, Diversity & Ability, Neurodiverse Community Catterick, The SPACE Group Manchester, Ability Today

Community Organization (Gender category)

Women in Academia Support Network (WIASN), Leeds Dads, Va Va Womb, Listen Uplift Vent CIC, Her Game Too CIC, Dope Black Women CIC, Boys in Mind, The Lucy Rayner Foundation

Community Organization (LGBTQ+ category)

Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline, The Justin Fashanu Foundation, Trans and Non-Binary Best Practice Guidance Working Group, Diversity Role Models, London LGBTQ+ Community Centre, Pride & Progress, Everton Together, Squirrel Friends

Community Organization (Race, Faith, Religion category)

Muslimah Sports Association, Oasis Open House, Movema, Afro Leads, Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN), Pointe Black, Black Voices Cornwall, Mindwalk Yoga

Community Organization (Multi Strand)

Round 4 Round, STEMunity, Stomping Grounds Forest School CIC, Happy Healthy You, Stepping Up CIC, Young Brent Foundation, Hebburn Helps, Wye Gymnastics and Galaxy Cheerleading

Entrepreneur of Excellence

Lyndsay Watterson, Sophie Watkinson, Liz Barnes, Simeon Quarrie, Nadine Campbell, Nate Macabuag, Gemma McCall, Jennifer Lake

Diverse Company

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, HSBC, Barts Health NHS Trust, Oracle, HCA Healthcare UK, MSD, Kings College Hospital NHS Foundations Trust, Kantar

Celebrity of the Year

Lewis Capaldi, Yasmin Finney, John Barnes, Christine McGuinness, Tom Daley, Alex Scott, Alan Shearer, Joshua Patterson

Lifetime Achiever

Martin McKay, Andrea Jessop, Robert Groves, Wayne Bellamy-Wright, Zita Holbourne, Dr Amo Raju, Rob Keetch, Ranjana Bell MBE