South Yorkshire communities come together to celebrate 40 years of giving

Since being established in 1986, the Foundation has distributed more than £40 million in funding to thousands of grassroots organisations and charities across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.

Over the last 40 years, SYCF has supported projects tackling poverty, isolation and disadvantage, while helping communities create opportunities for people of all ages to thrive.

The event, hosted by Andy Kershaw, Training Manager for South Yorkshire Funding Advice Bureau (SYFAB), which is part of SYCF, included four regional Community Impact Awards recognising organisations making a lasting difference in their local areas.

Award winners were:

The Exodus Project – Barnsley Community Impact Award, presented by Anna Hartley, director of public health, Barnsley Council

Highly commended: Barnsley FC Community Trust

We are incredibly proud to receive this award. It means so much to our volunteers, staff and everyone who has supported The Exodus Project over the years. Every day we see the difference that kindness, community and practical support can make in people’s lives. This recognition belongs to everyone who helps make our organisation such a welcoming and supportive place for local people.

Jack Dutton, Project Manager for The Exodus Project

Edlington Community Organisation – Doncaster Community Impact Award, presented by Allan Wilshere, Service Director of Policy, Economic Development & Environmental Sustainability, Doncaster Council

Highly commended: Active Fusion

This award means everything to us. It reflects the hard work and dedication of our volunteers, staff and wider community who make ECO what it is. To be recognised in this way during SYCF’s 40th anniversary celebrations is incredibly special.

Samantha Sidall MBE, Manager of Edlington Community Organisation (ECO)

Cortonwood Comeback – Rotherham Community Impact Award, presented by John Edwards, CEO, Rotherham Council

Highly commended: Harthill Tea and Day Social Club

We are absolutely delighted and honoured to receive this award. For four decades, our community centre has always been about supporting local people through both good times and difficult times and making sure nobody feels alone.

Denise Lelliott from Cortonwood Comeback 

Family Voice and Ammi’s Kitchen – Sheffield Community Impact Award, presented by Kate Josephs, CEO Sheffield Council

Highly commended: Sheffield Mencap and Gateway

We’re thrilled to receive this award. It's such a boost and wonderful for our team to feel the validation, support and the wonder of winning. Everyone works so hard and we are all on our own individual journeys.

Kate West, co-director of Family Voice

Professor Dame Hilary Chapman DBE, who is also President of SYCF, presented the SYCF President’s Award to Sparkle Sheffield in recognition of its outstanding commitment to supporting children and young people with additional needs and disabilities, while creating inclusive opportunities for families across the city.

South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation has been the cornerstone of voluntary organisations across our county, and it's overseen four decades of huge investment in grassroots charities.

To have awarded £40 million since 1986 is an incredible achievement and demonstrates the extraordinary generosity, passion and commitment that exists across South Yorkshire.

The organisations recognised during this celebration represent the very best of our communities. Their dedication, compassion and determination continue to change lives every single day. 

Professor Dame Hilary Chapman DBE

To receive The Lord-Lieutenant Dame Hilary Chapman’s Award representing HRH The King in South Yorkshire was an overwhelming and emotional moment for us all. We are beyond honoured, humbled, and grateful. The award itself is absolutely beautiful and handmade and to us, it represents something so much bigger than a trophy. This award belongs to every single one of our incredible volunteers who work tirelessly for our families every day. It belongs to our amazing children, who inspire us constantly with their strength, courage, uniqueness, and joy.

Liesje Dusauzay, founder of Sparkle Sheffield

The final accolade of the evening, the Peter Foyle Special Recognition Award, was presented to Anne Dean for her exceptional dedication and service to South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation.

Anne has volunteered with SYCF since its formation in 1986, giving more than 40 years of her time, expertise and passion to supporting communities across the region. Throughout four decades, she has played an instrumental role in helping the Foundation grow and ensuring funding reaches people and organisations making a real difference locally.

The award was presented by the family of Peter Foyle, a much-loved former member of the SYCF and SYFAB team who sadly passed away last year.

It is such a privilege to be with this wonderful family. I have been all over South Yorkshire with the Foundation, meeting groups, talking to people. It is a wonderful experience, if you don’t volunteer, volunteer now.

Ann Dean

Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist Ed Clancy also spoke during the evening, reflecting on his own upcoming 40th birthday and drawing comparisons between the dedication, resilience and teamwork needed to achieve long-term success in elite sport and in sustaining community impact over four decades.

Ed was appointed South Yorkshire’s Active Travel Commissioner by Mayor Oliver Coppard.

It's quite moving. There's been a few tears. I've seen these community projects on the ground and had a tear or two in my eye. I think in 40 years when I'm looking back on my life, I'll realise that the most meaningful measure of success is what you can do for other people.

Ed Clancy OBE

The prestigious celebration is one of several events and activities SYCF is hosting throughout 2026 to mark its 40th anniversary year.

This celebration was about recognising the incredible people and organisations who work tirelessly to strengthen communities across South Yorkshire every single day.

For 40 years, SYCF has proudly supported grassroots groups changing lives in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield, and this event was an opportunity to reflect on the enormous impact local giving can have.

What makes South Yorkshire special is the kindness and determination of its communities. We are incredibly proud to have worked alongside so many inspiring organisations and individuals over the past four decades.

As we look to the future, our ambition remains the same. We are committed to ensuring communities across South Yorkshire continue to receive the support and investment they need to thrive for generations to come.

Martin Singer, Chief Executive of South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation

Guests were entertained by performances from the Sheffield Chinese Lion Dancers and talented young musicians from Sheffield Music Academy.

South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation is really important because they're brilliant conduit to get money out to the voluntary sector. Often, particularly grassroots organisations that sometimes have the biggest difficulties in our community, struggle to get funding. So, South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation is really pivotal in making sure these groups achieve what they need to in order to deliver amazing services for their residents.

Anna Hartley, director of public health, Barnsley Council

What a fantastic event. I was privileged to be the person representing the Council to give out the Doncaster Impact award and see some fantastic organisations doing fantastic work. A 40th birthday is a good opportunity to reflect back and think about the future and what you can do to help the Foundation and volunteering across South Yorkshire.

Allan Wilshere, Service Director of Policy, Economic Development & Environmental Sustainability, Doncaster Council

There are so many small and large voluntary sector organisations right across region – 1,400 in Rotherham - and it takes organisations like South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation to reach out, provide routes to funding and give them support to enable them to do the fantastic work they do to support communities.

John Edwards, CEO, Rotherham Council

South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation is a really important partner in our region. Sheffield Council has supported the Community Foundation for many years and they make it possible to connect small grassroots organisations, for whom a small amount of money can make an enormous difference, with donors. “They are also a really great partner from a strategic point of view because they are working with those grassroots organisations and they really see what's going on in so many of our communities. They advocate for those communities incredibly well.

Kate Josephs, chief executive of Sheffield City Council