Stepping Stones North Wales Celebrates National Trustee of the Year Win at 2025 Charity Heroes Awards

8th December 2025

Stepping Stones North Wales is proud to announce that long-standing trustee and founding member Jennie Henderson has been named Trustee of the Year at the 2025 Benefact Group Charity Heroes Awards, held at the iconic Tower of London.

The prestigious ceremony brought together inspirational leaders, fundraisers, trustees, and community champions whose work is transforming lives across the UK and Ireland. The event was hosted by Dr Andy Cope of The Art of Brilliance, and featured powerful speeches including from solo adventurer Annasley Park, alongside Benefact Group CEO, Mark Hews.

Jennie won the award as a result of the judges’ recognition of her four decades of exceptional dedication, leadership and voluntary service to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse across North Wales.

Jennie was one of the founding members of Stepping Stones North Wales over 40 years ago. In her role as a social worker at the time, she recognised the desperate lack of specialist support for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. She went on to freely give countless volunteer hours to establish and develop an organisation that would provide a lifeline to men and women suffering the long-term impacts of abuse, including poor mental health, anxiety, physical health challenges and social isolation.

Jennie has played a vital role in the charity’s journey from a small group in Wrexham to the leading specialist support service across all six counties of North Wales. In the last year alone, Stepping Stones North Wales provided more than 6,000 counselling sessions and family support services to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

She has served the organisation in several roles, including volunteer, Chair of Trustees and now Vice-Chair of Trustees, and continues to lead from the front, supporting survivors who contact the charity on a daily basis.

Phil Eastment, CEO of Stepping Stones North Wales, said:

“The entire Stepping Stones North Wales team is incredibly proud of Jennie for receiving this national recognition. Her work over the past 40 years has transformed – and in many cases saved – the lives of thousands of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse across North Wales. There could not be a more deserving person.

”Jennie personifies the hugely positive impact that charity trustees can make, and why trustees are so important.”

The Charity Heroes Awards celebrate charities across the UK and Ireland who work tirelessly to make positive change. Organised by the Benefact Group, the awards shine a spotlight on unsung heroes in the charity sector and provide recognition, support and a strong sense of community.

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said:

“Hosting our second Charity Heroes Awards at the Tower of London was an incredible privilege. It was humbling, energising and inspiring to recognise unsung heroes in the charity sector and hear how they are changing the world we live in. These charities stood out for their passion, commitment and impact. We hope these awards will support them to continue their brilliant work.”