COLCHESTER’S Open Road charity is a finalist in a new charity awards which will have a ceremony at the Tower of London in November.

Open Road, a drug and alcohol recovery support charity in Essex and Medway, was selected by a panel of judges as a finalist for Benefact Group’s Charity Heroes Awards 2024.

The new awards are designed to celebrate and support charities “working tirelessly to make positive change”.

The Benefact Group has donated more than £200million to charitable causes since 2014.

Open Road is a finalist for the Local Community Initiative, one of seven award categories.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at The Tower of London on November 29.

Winning charities will be awarded £5,000 and runners-up will receive £1,000.

Open Road was nominated for the SOS Bus team and their work with the night-time economies in Colchester and Chelmsford in reducing emergency call-outs.

They were further nominated for their supporting daytime community work with other partners including the NHS, mental health services, sexual health services, Essex County Council, and the Terrence Higgins Trust.

Bus - Dennis Barnett MBE in February when the SOS bus in Colchester was upgradeddeBus - Dennis Barnett in February when the SOS bus in Colchester was upgraded (Image: Newsquest)

Open Road spokesman Tim Young said: “It’s a real honour for Open Road to be nominated for this award and we thank the judging panel for making us one of the finalists.

“It’s a tribute to the work of the SOS Bus team and our brilliant volunteers. The award will enable us to keep our SOS Buses on the road and  reach even more communities during the day.”

Mark Hews, group chief executive of Benefact Group, which is recognised as the third biggest corporate giver in the UK,  said: “We are delighted to announce the finalists of Benefact Group’s Charity Heroes Awards 2024.

“This new awards programme celebrates and supports charities working tirelessly to make positive change.

“Owned by a charity ourselves, charitable giving is at the heart of what we do. All of our available profits go to good causes and the more the group grows, the more the group can give.”

For more information about the 2024 Charity Heroes Awards visit https://benefactgroup.com/charity-heroes-awards-2024/