Congratulations to the 2026 award winners

Award Ceremony

As children’s and family ministers we are not looking for praise from man, but we do want to honour and celebrate people for how they are allowing the Lord to use them. In celebrating a few, we are celebrating the whole community and giving glory to God for all He is doing through us. Join us at the 2027 award ceremony in the conference.

Nominations for the awards will be open from October to December.  (Awards are for UK residents only.) Nominations are now closed – thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination. 

Awards ceremony will take place on Saturday 6th February 2027 at the Hand in Hand conference.

Award Categories (Provisional for 2027)

1. Life-Time Achievement Award – For a nationally recognised leader who has dedicated their life to children, impacted children’s ministry in the UK for many decades. The winner will have been involved in ministry for more than 30 years.

2. The Outreach Award – For innovative ways of reaching out into the community that have had significant impact on the spiritual growth and well-being of children in a local area or across the nation, established for more than 6 months.

3. Best New Resource – Resource for children’s or family ministry that was released after October 2024. The resource may be to enrich spiritual lives of children and families or empowering parents, leaders, and ministers to nurture faith. The resource may be physical or digital.

4. Long Service Award – For a local church volunteer who has been serving for the longest time in children’s ministry either in one church or in a variety of churches on a regular basis. The winner for this award will be announced at the end of 2025 and will receive two free tickets plus complementary accommodation to the 2026 conference in recognition of their long service.

5. Young Leaders Award – Local volunteer aged between 13 and 21 who has brought significant impact to the children’s ministry in their local church. Nominees should have been serving for at least a year at the time of nomination. The winner for this award will be announced at the end of 2025 and will receive two free tickets to the 2026 conference in recognition of their long service.

6. Under 5s Champion Award – For outstanding work with Christian ministry to under 5s for more than 2 years (this award may be for contributions in local or wider contexts, including either specific projects or consistently demonstrated commitment to under 5s ministry).

7. Family Champion Award – For outstanding work with Christian ministry to families for more than 2 years (this award may be for contributions in local or wider contexts, including either specific projects or consistently demonstrated commitment to family ministry).

8. Additional Needs Champion Award – For outstanding work with Christian ministry to children with additional needs for more than 2 years(this award may be for contributions in local or wider contexts, including either specific projects or consistently demonstrated commitment to children with additional needs).

9. Jack in the Box – For a ministry leader who deserves an award but it does not fit into any of the other award categories.

Congratulations to the 2025 award winners

Innovation Award 2025 – Raise up Faith

Lifetime Service Award 2025 – Heather Thompson (Powerpack Ministries)

Prize Draw

Not everyone will win an award, but in our eyes every children’s and family ministry leader should be celebrated. That’s why on Sunday we will also be holding the ultimate prize draw that one delegate will win. Throughout the conference every delegate will also have an opportunity to win some of the resources for children and family ministry that have been released in the last 12 months. Listen carefully in the main sessions to find out how you can win this bumper prize.

(If you don’t win you can buy copies of all these resources at our exhibition.)

Contents of the prize draw are subject to change but a provisional list will be released closer to the conference.