You don't have to win an award to be inspired by one

Shane Ryan, Senior Strategy Advisor to the CEO at The National Lottery Community Fund, reflects on judging this year’s National Diversity Awards.

Many years ago, as a fairly new CEO, the charity I was leading was nominated for a National Diversity Award. We were thrilled by this and told the entire organisation. We could see the pride in our work and were more hopeful than expectant that we might win. More than anything, we were just happy to be in the mix. Why? Because like so many other charities that work hard in communities every day to little or no fanfare, we were used to our work being overlooked because we didn’t have the time or resources to spend time telling potential stakeholders about what we were doing. In many small charities, folks are just trying to get the work done and affect change in a small but meaningful way.

We attended the ceremony, and my family watched it on TV. We were so thrilled to just be there with so many other amazing human beings that when our category came up, we ignored the fact that they announced us as winners and began clapping for whoever had won. It wasn’t until everyone in the room was looking at us that I realised we had won! I looked up at the huge monitors again just to be sure before getting up to make my first ever acceptance speech. I never forgot that feeling, the feeling of someone saying “yes” the work you are doing is seen and is important. That’s the beauty of the National Diversity Awards. It doesn’t care how well known your organisation is or how big it is. Its primary concern is what your community thinks of your work that is so important for those often maligned for the diversity projects and initiatives that they run. It’s a space of validation and celebration or those grassroots champions that connect the UK and remind us of the kind of world we want to live in; post-race riots, this was particularly validating.

So, when I was asked to sponsor the awards as the Global Executive Director at Avast, I did. And when I was asked to be a judge in my current capacity as Senior Strategy Advisor to the CEO at The National Lottery Community Fund, I did.

This year, I had the pleasure of being accompanied by the CEO of The National Lottery Community Fund, David Knott. Although David had never been to the awards, he was looking forward to attending, and right from the outset it didn’t disappoint. The Liverpool Anglican Church where it is held is not only breathtaking on approach from the outside, but awe-inspiring inside, with an air of promise and expectation that matches the bright lights and shimmering tableware. The heady mix of diverse groups from all over the UK makes you feel at ease and safe, while also feeling proud to be associated with everyone in the space.

As a judge, I had some idea of what to expect having read through many inspiring stories during the journey to establishing some of the winners across the categories. But it was David’s response to the evening that was great to see, especially as one of the organisations stood on stage and thanked The National Lottery Community Fund for its support. It reminded me that it truly does start with community, and that our renewed strategy at The National Lottery Community Fund is right to take an equity-based approach to funding. It also positively reinforced why it is so important to focus on those areas and people most in need.

Overall, it proved to be an emotional night, especially when we gained an insight into the tough journeys many had endured to continue to serve others. This is a huge part of my role as Senior Strategy Advisor at the Fund; it is so important that the Chief Executive has a comprehensive understanding of the diverse and varied communities we serve. It is difficult to single out one organisation over another on the night, so I will not endeavour to, but seeing neurodivergent children as young as six singing to 600 people with the kind of confidence on stage that I wish I had was probably the most emotional for me. It was a true beacon of hope for our future and reminded me that courage, conviction and self-belief are ageless. Anyone that has been to the Awards will know that you don’t have to win an award to be inspired by one.

About the author

Shane Ryan is Senior Strategy Advisor to the CEO at The National Lottery Community Fund, playing a pivotal role in driving the Fund’s mission to support and empower communities across the UK. His career spans significant roles across the public, private and charitable sectors. This includes time at DCMS as a strategy advisor and as the Global Executive Director of The Avast Foundation. A dedicated community advocate, Shane is also a trustee for various organisations and active in his own community. His contributions to the sector were recognized with an MBE in 2023 for services to charity and young people.