Nominet Internet Awards reveal website Turn2us as being one of the best online charity initiatives in UK

Turn2us website was the winner at the Nominet Internet Awards ceremony last week for the ‘Charitable or not-for-profit’ category, setting it apart as one of the best online initiatives in the UK. 

Founded in 2007, Turn2us was developed to help people in financial need gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help.

The website received over 3.2 million visits in 2011/12 with surveys showing that users increased their household income by as much as 27% on average in 2010/11.

Alison Taylor, Director of Turn2us, said: “Nominet is at the heart of developing e-commerce in the UK and it’s fantastic to have our work recognised at such prestigious and respected awards.

“In a time of economic strain when many people are struggling with increasing costs and bills we hope this award will help us to reach many more people in financial need and help them access the support they’re eligible to.”

The website will be showcased to the United Nation’s Internet Governance Forum in November to help promote and develop industry best practice.

If you are interested in learning more, please visit our website www.turn2us.org.uk.  

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For more information and interviews please contact:

Maria Fsadni, Press Officer, Telephone: 0208 834 9263   Email: maria.fsadni@elizabethfinn.org.uk
Emma Lamberton, Press & Campaigns Officer, Telephone: 020 8834 9259 Email: emma.lamberton@elizabethfinn.org.uk

Notes to Editors

About Turn2us

• Turn2us is part of the national charity Elizabeth Finn Care.
• Turn2us helps people in financial need gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help – online, by phone and face to face through our partner organisations.
• The Turn2us free, accessible website - www.turn2us.org.uk is designed to help people access the money available to them – through welfare benefits, charitable grants and other help.
• The website has a number of tools to make the process simpler, including a Grants Search, Benefits Calculator and ‘find an adviser’ tool to help locate someone to speak to.
• Turn2us works in partnership with organisations across the UK, including AdviceUK, Association of Charitable Organisations, Citizens Advice, Child Poverty Action Group, Home-Start UK and Money Advice Trust to develop our services and reach the many millions of people that need our help.

About Elizabeth Finn Care

• Elizabeth Finn Care is a national charity that helps people in financial need to improve their lives.
• Elizabeth Finn Care gives direct financial support to people from over 120 occupational backgrounds, and through Turn2us helps millions more people in the UK to access the money available to them through welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help.
• Since being founded in 1897, Elizabeth Finn Care has given away over £130m in direct financial assistance to people in need.
• Elizabeth Finn Care is a charity registered in England and Wales: 207812 and Scotland: SC040987.

About the Nominet Internet Awards

The Nominet Internet Awards is an annual competition which is aimed at UK individuals and organisations that are helping to make the internet a secure, open, accessible and diverse experience for everyone who uses it. These awards celebrate great UK internet projects by recognising achievement and innovation.

Building on the success of the past four years, we will recognise those organisations, groups and individuals who have embraced the challenge of making the internet a secure, open, accessible and diverse experience.  Winners will be promoted in the UK and internationally as examples of best practice.  Supporters of the Nominet Internet Awards include MPs, industry leaders, civil institutions, businesses, public sector and academia.

About Nominet

Nominet is a not-for-profit organisation responsible for the smooth and secure running of the .uk Internet infrastructure. A public service ethos drives everything we do – we strive to make the Internet an ever more trusted space for everyone who uses it.

As one of the world’s largest Internet registries, we maintain a ‘directory’ of domain names ending in .uk, and run the technology which locates the computer hosting the website or email address you are looking for.

We set up and support the Nominet Trust, an independently run charity focussed on increasing access, safety and education on Internet issues.