United Response shortlisted for Charity Times Award

United Response has been shortlisted for a prestigious Charity Times Award. The category is “PR team of the year”, following the “Every Vote Counts” campaign, which saw United Response’s in-house press team and communications agency Luther Pendragon lobby for greater democratic rights for people with learning disabilities throughout the media.

The Every Vote Counts campaign generated a huge amount of interest from journalists and politicians as it was revealed that more than half a million people with learning disabilities weren’t exercising their right to vote, due to the complexity and inaccessibility of the democratic system.

The campaign helped secure two historic firsts: the three main political parties all produced accessible manifestos for the first time, in collaboration with Mencap, and the number of people with learning disabilities voting went from 16% to 40%. This will ensure that people with disabilities have their rightful say in the future of our country.

The other finalists in the category are Bliss, Norcas, Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and Alzheimer’s Research Trust. The winners will be announced in September.

“It’s great to be recognised, of course,” said Diane Lightfoot, director of fundraising and communications, “but our main hope is that this will help keep the issue of democratic rights alive in the media. With a crucial referendum due next year, it is vital that people with learning disabilities are fully engaged, and we will continue to work with the many excellent journalists who wrote about the Every Vote Counts campaign to ensure that happens. I’d also like to thank Luther Pendragon for donating their expertise and time to help make the campaign a success and bring this important issue to national attention.”

Jaime Gill, press and public affairs manager.

For more information email Jaime Gill.