WINNER : TRAC UK
Sponsored by SABIC
CHARITY / VOLUNTARY
WINNER : TRAC UK
A small charity making a big difference to the lives of women on Teesside clinched the Charity / Voluntary category .
TRAC UK ( The Recovery Advocates and Consultants UK ) gives a safe space to women who have experienced trauma .
And it was a sweet victory for founder Annalice Argyle , who had been a category finalist twice before and won the Inspiring Others title in 2020 .
Annalice said : “ I was up against some really brilliant charities so yeah , it ’ s amazing to win .
“ We ’ ve worked really hard . And we ’ re such a small charity – we don ’ t have a lot of funding , but we make a big difference to women ’ s lives .”
Annalice doesn ’ t let the moderate amount of funding hold TRAC UK back from giving women recovering from substance misuse and domestic violence a safe space .
She explained : “ We self-fund by having a women-only wellness gathering every year in Northallerton . It ’ s about women empowering women .”
Ticket sales for the event go back into the funds for the charity , which allows it to continue providing sanctuary for women in recovery , offering encouragement and support to beneficiaries to transform their lives and achieve their utmost potential .
As Annalice is also in recovery , she reflected on her past self in the depths of addiction , admitting : “ Did I ever think I ’ d be at the Tees Businesswomen Awards , let alone win it and let alone be helping other women ? It ’ s an amazing place to be .”
And what ’ s in the pipeline for TRAC UK ? Annalice has high hopes for the charity ’ s future , seeing it becoming fully self-funding – with the possibility of a house to provide a permanent base and safe place for women in need .
She said : “ We ’ re going to keep going and help more and more women ”
For more information about TRAC UK , visit tracuk . uk
Empowering – SABIC ’ s Jos Visser presented the Charity / Voluntary Award to Annalice Argyle , founder of TRAC UK .
FINALIST : FINALIST :
AUTISM MATTERS
Autism Matters is a leading charity supporting autistic adults in the Tees Valley . Based on Mandale Road , Stockton , it has created innovative , user-led support services for more than 150 autistic adults locally .
Its CEO , Anna Taylor , was recently diagnosed as autistic , and is leading the way in the charity sector , building a replicable , sustainable model for support services . With year-on-year growth , Autism Matters ’ mission is to impact and support more than 10,000 autistic lives in 2023 .
Its social group service was launched in Newcastle in April and a new podcast began in May 2023 .
No two autistic people are the same , so Autism Matters provides a wide range of services to meet many unique needs .
SPONSOR ’ S MESSAGE
TEESSIDE HOSPICE
Recent challenges , including the cost-ofliving crisis , haven ’ t sidetracked Teesside Hospice from its mission of providing unwavering support and care for those affected by terminal illnesses .
With a creative approach to income generation , the hospice ’ s commitment to comprehensive care is evident through the inpatient unit ’ s support for 131 patients in a 12-month period . Complementary therapies have enhanced patient care , while the hospice ’ s dedication to the emotional wellbeing of patients and their families is evident through its counselling services , tailored specifically for children and young adults .
Teesside Hospice ’ s multifaceted approach , driven by unwavering commitment and a deep understanding of the community it serves , continues to make a lasting difference to the lives of those facing life-limiting conditions .
Claire Wordsworth , senior communications business partner , SABIC , said : “ We were delighted to sponsor the charity and volunteer category , as this is a topic that aligns with SABIC ’ s values . The winner , Annalice Argyle , has experienced great adversity but has turned her life around by using those understandings in a positive way to form TRAC UK and improve the lives of other women in similar situations .”
42 | Tees Business