The ACO has shortlisted the CCF for Small Charity of the Year and Charity Collaboration of the Year awards in honour of their hard work over the past year.
Winners of the prestigious charitable awards will be announced at the ACO's Annual Conference in central London on 17 September.
The ACO Annual Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of charities within the ACO network that provide financial and wellbeing support to individuals. This year's awards feature eleven categories, celebrating everything from impactful campaigns and meaningful collaborations to exceptional leadership and emerging talent.
We are immensely proud to have been nominated for these two awards, which reflect our commitment to support RSC members and their families, and also the extension of our work to improve the lives of others working across the chemical sciences community.
Anna Dearden, Chemists' Community Fund Manager
"We awarded nearly £250,000 in grants last year and made referrals to expert services and advice as we spent time working with individuals to find the best support and solutions for them and their families.
"I am so proud of the entire CCF team, they deserve this credit for all the work they do, handling and supporting members with hundreds of new enquiries each year”.
Small Charity of the Year
This prize 'recognises the outstanding impact of a smaller ACO member charity providing financial or wellbeing support to individuals.' The CCF is up against Drinks Trust and Pharmacist Support, two other occupational support charities, for the honour.
The CCF provides confidential financial and wellbeing support to help RSC members and their families when they are faced with unexpected, and difficult circumstances.
Its work has changed the lives of many who have asked for assistance - now this support has been formally recognised by the ACO, the membership body for charities providing this kind of support.
Charity Collaboration of the Year
Alongside support of our members and their families, the CCF also provides support to others across the chemical sciences community.
It's this work that has earned the CCF its second nomination for its collaboration with the Council for At-Risk Academics (Cara).
After years of close ties, the CCF and Cara began an official three-year, £360,000 partnership in 2024 helping Cara provide crucial assistance to at-risk chemists and their families. The collaboration is an example of the CCF being able to direct its support toward meeting the needs of the wider chemical science community as funds allow.
"The collaboration with Cara has been immensely successful," Anna added. "We set out to support around 10 chemists and their families each year, but in year one alone Cara assisted 18 chemistry academics from seven countries to live, work or study in a safe place, along with 16 of their spouses and 33 children."
Beyond this funding, the CCF has also provided additional practical, financial and emotional support to Cara Fellows and their families, including grants and referrals to specialist support services and advice when needed.
Our first year of £120,000 in funding also helped Cara secure another £1.13m in leveraged support from UK university partners, which serves as proof that together we can achieve outcomes neither organisation could deliver alone. Helping to provide displaced chemists a place of safety is exactly why this partnership matters.
Anna Dearden
The other nominees for Charity Collaboration of the Year are a partnership between the National Benevolent Charity, Albert Hunt Trust, Fear Free and the National Lottery, and one between RNBT, the Naval Children's Charity and the Royal Navy Officers' Charity.
Learn more about the CCF
- Find out more about the CCF's work, or get in touch for confidential support, on the Chemists' Community Fund pages.
- Watch to discover how the CCF could support you or your family today: