Best Beginnings has won the prestigious 2012 ICAEW Charities Online Financial Reporting and Accounts Awards.

Graham Ward CBE, Chairman of Judges, presenting the 2012 ICAEW Charities Online Financial Reporting and Accounts Award for charities with an income between £250k and £1 million to myself, Best Beginnings Operations Manager Lee Hall, Jinne Stiksma and Andrew Nash from OpenUmbrella. (Photo courtesy of ICAEW)


The awards celebrate the success of charities that have demonstrated excellence and innovation in online financial reporting. Best Beginnings' 2010-11 Accounts and Trustees' report can be seen at www.bestbeginnings.org.uk/Page/report.

I was joined by Operations Manager Lee Hall, Jinne Stiksma and Andrew Nash from OpenUmbrella, who created the online accounts with Best Beginnings on a pro bono basis, in having the honour of picking up the award.

This award means so much to me, my team and my Board of Trustees. We strive for excellence in all that we do, not just in the projects that we deliver to reduce inequalities in child health across the UK, but in how we transparently communicate our work and our finances to supporters and potential supporters.

We are very grateful to OpenUmbrella, for working collaboratively and creatively with us to deliver an interactive experience designed to engage and interest people who wouldn't normally look at accounts.

The awards are structured into 5 different categories based on charitable income. Best Beginnings won in the 'Income between £250k and £1m' category.

The award ceremony took place on Monday 25 June at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales in the City of London.

This is the second time Best Beginnings has won the award, winning it in 2008 -- the first time a charity has won this award for their inaugural set of accounts. Best Beginnings was also shortlisted for the award in 2011.

The Awards aim to:

  • increase transparency by rewarding best practice in financial reporting
  • raise the standard of web-based financial reporting for greater impact and accessibility
  • encourage more charities to do their financial reporting online