The Awards recognise and reward excellence in the not-for-profit sector and provide the winners with huge levels of funding to help transform their business.  Maggie’s Centres has been shortlisted as one of three organisations up for the chance to win a cash prize of up to £500,000 to develop an innovative aspect of their charity – Maggie’s Online Centre.

There are six Maggie’s Centres across the UK, offering a pioneering programme of emotional and practical support to anyone affected by any kind of cancer.  Maggie’s aim to help people to overcome the feelings of isolation and despair that a cancer diagnosis can bring.  And this all takes place within uplifting and inspiring buildings, which are custom designed by leading architects and located on the grounds of NHS hospitals next to cancer treatment facilities.

Today 77,000 people can access these centres. What Maggie’s want to do now is to extend their programme of support to tens of thousands more people across the country who can’t access a Maggie’s Centre, due to circumstances, such as distance, mobility, working hours, or stage of diagnosis.
 
Maggie’s innovative response to this need was to launch a ground-breaking pilot last year – an ‘Online Maggie's Centre’.  People can create a profile; seek professional support on areas such as nutrition, benefits and relaxation; chat with others within common interest groups; write a blog and much more.  Maggie’s Online Centre is unique from other charities online communities in that it offers private live weekly support group sessions facilitated by a Clinical Psychologist.

Maggie’s piloted two of these support groups over a 12 week period, with the feedback being that this was a much-needed and unique resource.  Members confirmed that it has helped tackle their feelings of isolation and loneliness.  They said that they enjoyed having the flexibility to join a group whether they were at home, at work or on the road and that the groups provide a safe and confidential place to talk openly and honestly.

If Maggie’s win the £500,000 award we will be able to develop our Online Centre to ensure we are the leading pioneer in this area of support.  We would use the money to develop turning this pilot into a fully functionally operational Online Maggie's Centre.  We would recruit and train more Clinical Psychologists to facilitate more online support groups, allowing us to run up to 30 groups a week.  Maggie’s would also recruit and train more specialists (Cancer Support Specialists, Benefits Advisers, Registered Dietitians) so that they can expand the scope of the specialist support groups. Plus develop the system to be able to add video blogs and diaries and connect to our Online Maggie's Centre through skype and web cams. 

Laura Lee, Chief Executive of Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, said: “We want to offer that lifeline to thousands more people by introducing 121 support sessions with a Maggie’s Psychologist. No other online cancer forum can offer that extraordinary psychosocial care.  The Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneur Award would make it possible to transform this successful pilot into a pioneering UK wide support system for people affected by cancer.”

Sam Kerr, Head of Specialist Banking, Bank of Scotland Corporate, said: “Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres is a unique cause that helps thousands of people through some of the toughest times human beings can face.  The business model is strong and the organisation is well run.  We wish Maggie’s well in this competition.”

To win the award the entrepreneurs will have to present their entrepreneurial vision to a panel of six judges - the winners of each prize tier will be announced that evening, at an event which is to be held at Christ Church Spitalfields on the 25 June 2009. 

The winner of the awards will also secure a true ‘money can’t buy’ reward of three days mentoring from one of the UK’s best known social entrepreneurs and the title of "Bank of Scotland Corporate Social Entrepreneur 2009".  Kavita Oberoi, Managing Director of Oberoi Consulting, and Liam Black, Co-Founder of Wavelength have agreed to provide three days of their time, offering advice and guidance to the winning organisations of The Social Entrepreneur Awards.

The Social Entrepreneur Award was open to Not for Profit organisations whose primary purpose is to further social or environmental goals, and those who operate for non-commercial purposes and social benefit. Such organisations cover a vast spectrum, ranging from Charities, Churches and Social Groups, to Public Sector organisations, Schools and Universities.
For more information – visit www.bossocialawards.co.uk.

…Ends…

Notes to editor

MAGGIE’S CENTRES
There are currently six Maggie’s Centres, five in Scotland and one in London.   Seven more centres are planned within the next five years.  Each centre offers free-of-charge emotional and practical support to people at any stage of a cancer diagnosis, plus their friends and family.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR
Social entrepreneurs operate Not for Profit organisations which are not capable of distributing profits generated by the organisation back to shareholders, members or other participants in the organisation. Additionally, their primary purpose is to support an issue of public interest or concern, or to further social and/or environmental goals for non-commercial purposes and social or community benefit. 

BANK OF SCOTLAND
Bank of Scotland Corporate, part of the HBOS Group, has a reputation for excellence in the provision of corporate finance, delivering innovative funding solutions across a range of markets. With experience across many areas of corporate finance, Bank of Scotland can draw on an expert pool of professionals with proven track records.  Bank of Scotland Corporate is already the UK's biggest Community Banker and our Not for Profit team provides credit facilities of almost £130m to new or growing Not for Profit organisations across the country.