Find out who’s in this year’s shortlist

Home > What we do > Connect > Awards > SMK National Campaigner Awards 2025 Shortlist

Celebrating the best campaigns and campaigners

Our Awards bring change-makers together to share and build knowledge for effective change-making. They are one of the ways we demonstrate and celebrate the value of campaigning.

It is never an easy task to select each year’s shortlist but with the help of our experienced judges we are able to select those who have made change happen – most effectively, creatively, and courageously.

Thank you to everyone who sent in nominations. 

The Awards will be live streamed on Thursday 19 June from 6pm. We will announce the link here with instructions on how to watch. 

Award categories

Long Term Achievement Award

An Award recognising the work and contribution of an exceptional individual who has campaigned over a long period of time.

We will announce the winner at the Awards on Thursday 19 June 2025 from 6pm. 

Creative Change-makers Award

This award recognises where creative interventions such as visual arts, design and performance have contributed to social change.

Best Use of Law

Celebrating a campaign that has successfully used the law to drive change – whether using existing legislation to leverage rights and protections, or using strategic litigation to strengthen existing or create new legislation.

Amplifying Voices

This award recognises campaigns either led by or that give voice and profile to those groups who are least heard.

Best Community Campaign

This award celebrates a successful campaign that involves a community coming together, leading to systemic change that benefits all or part of the community. Importantly, this work is about change – not directly delivering a service (e.g. a foodbank) or raising money.

David & Goliath

This Award is all about the little guys. It celebrates individuals or small campaign groups that take on much bigger organisations and challenge vested power.

Sponsored by Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, in memory of Lord David Shutt.

Sponsored by Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust

Seek to bring about significant changes in the political system, making it more accountable, democratic, and transparent and to rebalance power for the well-being of society.
www.jrrt.org.uk

Young Campaigner Award

This award celebrates campaigns instigated, delivered, or led by a person or people between the ages of 18 and 25.

Supported by The Blagrave Trust

Blagrave is a collaborative funder that works to bring lasting change to the lives of young people investing in them as powerful forces for change and acting upon their right to be heard in pursuit of a fair and just society.

www.blagravetrust.org

Campaigner of the Year

This award celebrates an outstanding campaigner, change-maker, agitator or disruptor who has worked effectively, creatively, and courageously, whether locally or nationally, over the past year.

Sponsored by the Tenacious Awards, supported by Changing Ideas, the philanthropic foundation of David Graham, and managed by Philanthropy Matters.

Tenacious-awards

The Tenacious Awards support campaigners with true tenacity, working to right injustice.
www.tenaciousawards.org

 

Campaign of the Year

This award celebrates the outstanding campaign of the past year – not just because of what they won, but also how they won it.

Heatherwick Studio is dedicated to making the physical world around us better for everyone. They are the instigators of the Humanise campaign, a 10 year global initiative that confronts the social and public health issues caused by boring soulless buildings, inspiring the public to demand better.

Best Consumer Campaign

To recognise campaigns that successfully challenge poor or unfair consumer practice, or that successfully promote or strengthen consumer rights and protection.

Sponsored by Which?

WHICH LOGO

A charity that offers free consumer advice and campaigns for fairer practices.
www.which.co.uk

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