Naomi House & Jacksplace is a finalist for 4 National Awards!

5th September 2025

fundraising team jumping for joy in the jacksplace gardens

We are excited to announce that Naomi House & Jacksplace has been selected as a finalist for 4 prestigious National Awards! The collaborative teams behind our Duchenne muscular dystrophy Clinic, dedicated volunteers at Recycle Bike Hub, supportive Play and Creative Arts Therapist, Jenny Astall, and our long-time supporter Brian Harpur, have been recognised for their impact within the charity sector, and the difference they have made for our hospices.

Mark Smith, Chief Executive at Naomi House & Jacksplace, said:

These nominations reflect the heart of our hospices. The dedication, compassion, and innovative spirit of our staff, volunteers, and supporters. From ground breaking collaborations like the DMD Clinic, to inspiring fundraisers and sustainable community initiatives such as the Recycle Bike Hub, each recognition is a celebration of people working together to make extraordinary care possible. I'm deeply proud of everyone involved, and humbled by the care, resilience, and humanity they bring to children, young people, and families every day.

— Mark Smith

Jenny Astall, our Play and Creative Arts Therapist, has been named finalist for the Wellbeing Award at The National Children and Young People Awards. Jenny works within our Family Support team, supporting children and young adults who visit the hospices and their siblings.

Jenny, said:

A bereaved parent said to me at the end of the child having some play therapy that they had seen their child laugh for the first time, that they’d been able to be a child again, something that living with a family full of grief had made it hard for them all to do. For young adults living with a life limiting and physically progressive disease it’s a space for them to talk about their fears for their future. They often talk about the loneliness that they feel for the life they aren’t able to have and the sadness they have as they see friends around them die of the same condition. I can’t take away the horribleness of their condition, but I can share some of the weight of their feelings with them and help them make plans for living their life in the most meaningful way for them.

— Jenny Astall

shortlisted for charity times awards 2025

Our innovative Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) Clinic has been shortlisted in the Charity Collaboration of the Year category at the Charity Times Awards and the Partnership of the Year category at the Charity Today Awards. Since 2022, our care teams, along with NHS staff from University Hospital Southampton, have been working together to provide a one-stop medical health check service for children and young adults who have DMD. Their continued efforts has increased the occurrence of the clinic, enabling more young adults to book into the service to access a health check. Watch the video below to get a glimpse at the impact of this unique clinic for young adults who access the service.

Recycle Bike Hub volunteers have been shortlisted in the Volunteer Team of the Year category at the Third Sector Awards, for their dedication in working together to make a difference for Naomi House & Jacksplace. The group, made up of passionate cyclists, have raised over £80,000 since the start of the workshop. They have also saved over 1,000 bikes from being lost to landfills, by taking great care to repair and refurbish unwanted bikes. Their incredible efforts not only make a big impact for our hospices but bring positive change to the community and the environment.

recycle bike hub team smiling in the workshop

Brian Harpur, Owner and Managing Director at GRP Solutions, has been shortlisted in the UK Fundraiser of the Year at the Charity Today Awards, for taking on our ambitious Big Five fundraising challenge. Brian's kindness and overwhelming support over the years has seen him go on numerous adventures, by himself and by the wider GRP Solutions team. Last winter, Brian participated in the first fundraiser in our Big Five Challenge series, travelling from Portsmouth to Norway in 5 days to raise funds for our hospices. His efforts have raised thousands which could provide essential nursing care for children and young adults who visit Naomi House & Jacksplace.

We are very proud of the incredible teams across our hospices, our amazing community and generous supporters. Each come together to make a vital difference for the life limited and life threatened children, young adults and their families we support at Naomi House & Jacksplace. Being recognised by these awards helps shine a light on the positive differences made by our community. Thank you for being part of our community and helping us be there for families across central Southern England.

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