MP Nominated for Charity Awards

Neil Gerrard, Labour MP for Walthamstow, has been nominated by two charities for an award in the inaugural Charity Champions Awards, organised by ePolitix.com, the politics communications channel.

Earlier this year charities were asked to nominate MPs in six award categories, ranging from Disabilities to Health to International affairs. Each charity making a nomination was asked to provide a supporting statement for their nomination, and then 4 nominees have been shortlisted in each category. MPs and Parliamentary staff will be voting on the shortlisted nominees over the next few weeks, with the award winners to be announced in December.

Neil is the only MP to have been shortlisted in two categories, for both the Disability and the International awards. For the Disability award he was nominated by Guide Dogs for the Blind, in recognition of his work in piloting his Private Member's Bill through Parliament, giving guide dog owners the right to take their guide dog in licensed minicabs.

For the International award he was nominated by the Child Poverty Action Group for his work in persuading the Home Office to give more help to asylum seeker women who are either pregnant or have young children. As a result of the campaign he led these women will now get extra help to buy formula milk for their children so that those with HIV infections don't take the risk of passing on the infection by breastfeeding.

Mr Gerrard said "I was surprised and honoured to have been shortlisted for two of the categories of award. I know that on both of these campaigns the success depended on many people working to persuade the Government to accept the changes needed. Many charities do great work, and it is a privilege to be able to work with organisations like Guide Dogs for the Blind and CPAG to take their work forward."

October 2003

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