Voluntary sector consultant and adviser David Carrington has been honoured with the Outstanding Achievement Award at this year’s Charity Awards gala dinner.
Carrington accepted his award from broadcaster Huw Edwards in front of an audience of nearly 700 of his peers, as well as various celebrities, Parliamentarians and people from charities shortlisted for the Awards.
He was selected by the judges for his huge and diverse contribution to the sector over a distinguished 45-year career.
After joining the voluntary sector via a small Yorkshire youth charity in 1968, Carrington spent over three decades in full-time permanent roles, including three chief executive posts at major funders – HACT, the Baring Foundation and the Health Foundation. In 2001 he turned freelance and has since become a trusted confidante and adviser to hundreds of organisations and individuals throughout this sector and beyond.
Accepting his award, Carrington said he was “totally flummoxed” to be given it, “especially when you consider the track record of all the people who have gone before me”.
He said: “I see myself usually as not here in the spotlight but somewhere over there on the edge of the stage, prodding and encouraging others to take action.”
He had been “immensely fortunate” throughout his career, working with some “brilliant colleagues” and during the last 12 years as a freelancer, engaging with some “wonderful people who have commissioned me to do some fascinating work”.
He paid tribute to the late Nicholas Hinton, who persuaded him to consider a career in the voluntary sector, and said he was lucky he had employers throughout his career that “tolerated, indeed encouraged, me to get involved from a very young age as a trustee".
"Not only do I think that that sort of experience broadens and extends your skills, it also helps you learn about governance and leadership from different perspectives and I wish that every charity encouraged all their young staff to do the same.
“I always argue vigorously that the work in this sector can be top quality, exceptional, very talented and when it is it can add very special value, and we have seen a lot of that tonight.
"If some of what I’ve done has helped organisations to achieve such standards, helped staff and trustees to be curious and open to adventurous ways of doing things, helped the sector to endeavour that two plus two always equals five, then that’s terrific.”
