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So many incredible people: a note from our founder

Nominations for the 2027 Elysian Awards have closed, and the response has been extraordinary. Dr Charlotte Williams on reading them, and why our judges have a hard job ahead.

Nominations for the 2027 Elysian Awards have closed, and I want to start with a simple thank you.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate. We received far more nominations this year than in our first, and every one of them was written by someone who wanted the work of another person, team or organisation to be seen. Many of you nominated colleagues. Some of you nominated yourselves, which takes courage. All of you made our job harder in the best possible way.

What we read

Reading the nominations has been one of the most moving parts of my year. Teachers who found a way through for a pupil everyone else had given up on. Volunteers who turn up week after week without anyone asking. Small teams running services on very little, because the people they support cannot wait. People using art, music, animals, conversation and sheer persistence to change things for someone.

These are the quiet changemakers. This is the kind of work that doesn’t chase recognition, but deeply deserves it.

Our judges have a hard job

I do not envy our judges this year. Our independent panel will score every finalist, category by category, against the same four measures: impact, innovation, evidence and inclusion. The standard is high across every category, and the margins between finalists will be narrow.

Winners are revealed on the night, and the panel’s decisions stay sealed until then. What I can promise is that every finalist in the room at G Live will be celebrated. Everyone is celebrated, and no one leaves empty handed.

What happens next

Every finalist will hear from us personally before anything is shared publicly, so please keep an eye on your inbox. After that, we will be celebrating our finalists here and on social media, and we would love you to celebrate with us.

Thank you again to everyone who took the time to put someone forward. I cannot wait to celebrate with you.

Dr Charlotte Williams, Founder of the Elysian Awards and CEO of Elysian

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