Inspiring Positive Change!

We’ve just wrapped up our competition for apprentices to pitch to JGA for Charity of the Year 2024. First prize is a £2,500 donation, second prize £1,500 donation and third prize £1,000 donation to the chosen charities.

Pitches were delivered by video, Word, or Powerpoint and apprentices were free to create their own style and formats. This fits snuggly with our apprenticeships which often require apprentices to develop professional communication, persuasion, speaking, writing or content creation skills.

With entry closed, our judging panel had the tough task of reviewing each pitch to decide the winner. All were deserving and some were truly innovative, creative and compelling.

The results are in and were so good that we gave an extra donation of £500 for the fourth placed pitch and also donated £100 each to all the other charities.

So in reverse order…

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Fourth place: The Amelia-Mae Foundation pitched by Ryan Birchall, Marketing Manager apprentice from Merseyside Police, won £500.

TAMF supports families with members battling neuroblastoma; creating laughter, smiles and empowerment.

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Joint second place: Peterborough Rape Crisis pitched by Kayleigh Adams, Marketing Executive apprentice from Peterborough Rape Crisis, won £1,250.

PRC is the only specialist service available for survivors of sexual violence in Peterborough, Fenland and Huntingdonshire.

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Joint second place: Shooting Star Children’s Hospices pitched by Elizabeth Lee, Government Communication Service Public Relations & Communications apprentice from the UK Ministry of Defence, won £1,250.

Shooting Star provides expert care while helping children with life-limiting conditions and their families create magical memories.

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First place: Campaign Against Living Miserably pitched by Daniel Defoe, Sales Executive apprentice from Mindful Education won £2,500.

CALM is leading a movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men aged under 45 in the UK.

Dan tells us how CALM changed his life:

“A few years ago, after my own personal experience of managing my mental health, I discovered the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), a mental health and suicide prevention charity. No amount of words can express how grateful I was for the free, confidential advice I received at the time. CALM provides anonymous, 24/7 support in the UK via their helpline and webchat services to anyone in need.

Owing to my experience with the amazing people at CALM, giving back has always been something I was keen to do. In 2017 and 2018, I helped organise two fundraising events in support of the charity, raising over £8,000. When the JGA group, my apprenticeship training provider, opened submissions to pitch for their “Charity of the Year 2024”, I saw it as a great opportunity to continue fundraising for a poignant cause that remains close to my heart.

I’m beyond proud to have created and submitted a pitchdeck (a skill I have been wanting to develop, and work that I can also use for evidence in my apprenticeship portfolio)…and for being chosen as the recipient of first prize, a £2,500 donation for CALM!”

Richard Goodwin, Managing Director of the JGA Group adds

“CONGRATULATIONS 🏆 to all 22 apprentices who submitted awesome pitches in our Charity of the Year comp. We now have winners who brilliantly pitched amazing causes and, in some cases, reduced the judges to tears.”

The other recipients are Alzheimer’s Society, BMS World Mission, Calais Appeal, Greater Manchester Youth Network (GMYN), Hardman Trust, Headway Surrey , Leeds Hospitals Charity, MYTIME Young Carers, Queenscourt Hospice, Samaritans, Sheffield Hospitals Charity, Together As One, WaterAid & Wirral Hospice St John’s.

Congratulations to everyone involved and a special thank you to our judges Joel Voysey (fundraiser apprenticeship tutor), Anthony Milner (photography, marketing & content creation tutor/coach), Leigh Torrance (Head of Delivery) and Richard Goodwin (Managing Director).

Donations have been made!