Storybook Dads has won the overall award for excellence in charity management at the Charity Awards 2007. Project manager Sharon Berry and her team received the award from the minister for the third sector Ed Miliband at last week’s gala presentation dinner at Battersea Park Evolution, attended by almost 1,000 senior voluntary sector representatives and celebrities. The Awards are sponsored by CAF with Times Public Agenda as media partner.

Storybook Dads won for its project where prisoners record and edit the reading of bedtime stories for their children. Set up by Berry, a teacher working in Dartmoor prison, the charity now works with 50 prisons across the UK, enabling inmates to maintain family ties while imprisoned. It is estimated that 150,000 children have a parent in prison and 45 per cent of prisoners lose touch with their children during their incarceration.

Meanwhile, the winner of the outstanding achievement award was Sir Roger Singleton, former chief executive of Barnardo’s and chair of the government’s new independent safeguarding authority. He reminded the audience that there was a real opportunity for charities in delivering public services in the present climate and they should “get on with it as great things can be done”. He said: “I look back to 40 years ago and the enormous contrast with where we are today. I have learned one thing. We in the sector should be taking our chances when we get them because they may not come around again.”

For more details of all the winners and their projects see the special event report included with thjs issue or visit www.charityawards.co.uk