The winners of the Smiley Charity Film Awards 2025 have been announced!
The award ceremony took place at Indigo at the O2, showcasing some of the year’s best charity films alongside a star-studded guest list.
A night celebrating the power of film in raising awareness for important causes, hosted by TV presenter and fashion model Lisa Snowdon, the evening was filled with energy, warmth, and plenty of memorable moments.
One of the highlights of the night was the presentation of the Smiley Champion of Change award to Annabel Kiki, an inspiring amputee footballer and campaigner who has made a significant impact in advocating for inclusivity and accessibility.
Guests were also treated to a stunning musical performance from a gospel choir, who put a fresh spin on well-known hits, breaking up the awards with a soulful and uplifting entertainment for attendees to sing along to.
The event drew a host of familiar faces from the world of entertainment, including AJ and Curtis Pritchard, Love Island cast member Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, and Kathryn Drysdale, best known for playing Madame Delacroix in Bridgerton, as well as to mention former footballer Anton Ferdinand and The Saturdays pop star Una Healy. Their presence added a touch of glamour to the occasion, as they showed their support for the inspiring films and causes being honoured.
With heartfelt speeches, moving films, and a celebration of the charitable sector’s creativity, the Smiley Charity Film Awards once again proved to be a powerful platform for storytelling with purpose.
Taking the Film of the Year Award was Refuge, with their film ‘Make the World a Refuge’. This incredible charity helps to support and protect women and their children from domestic abuse and gender-based violence.
Their powerful short film ‘Make the World a Refuge’ features renowned actress Billie Piper, recounting real testimonies from domestic violence survivors. Through incredible initiatives like their helpline, they support those who are currently experiencing or have experienced abuse. You can learn more about the myriad ways Refuge is supporting those in need by visiting their website.
The other big winner of the night was the People’s Choice winner The British Hedgehog Preservation Society – an incredible charity dedicated to helping and protecting hedgehogs native to the UK. By educating people about the ways we can protect wild hedgehogs, and advocating for their safety, they are helping to make the world a more hedgehog-friendly place.
Their winning film titled ‘The Littlest Hoglet’ is a stop-motion film depicting a hoglet’s journey through several UK gardens, after being separated from his family. The heartwarming film showcases several ways UK gardeners can help hedgehogs, and is narrated by environmentalist Chris Packham.
You can see the full winners list for the Smiley Charity Film Awards 2025 below:
Grand Prix Film of the Year.
Grand Prix People’s Choice Award.
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society’s ‘The Littlest Hoglet’.
Under £100,000.
Winner: The Rural Communities Mental Health Foundation
Silver: Give…A Few Words CIC
Bronze: St Albans Community Pantry
People’s Choice Winner: Billy & Beyond
People’s Choice Silver: Power of Polo
People’s Choice Bronze: Morabe Rural Music
£100,000-£250,000.
Winner: Transform Justice
Silver: Ealing Anchor Foundation
Bronze: The Sandcastle Trust
People’s Choice Winner: The Sandcastle Trust
People’s Choice Silver: Our Kids First
People’s Choice Bronze: JE Delve
£250,000-£500,000.
Winner: Transform Drug Policy Foundation
Silver: Give A Book
Bronze: Women + Health
People’s Choice Winner: Shropshire Cat Rescue
People’s Choice Silver: Simon on the Streets
People’s Choice Bronze: Team Oasis Children’s Charity + Liverpool & Merseyside Samaritans
£500,000-£1 million.
Winner: Orangutan Foundation
Silver: The Migraine Trust
Bronze: Electric Umbrella
People’s Choice Winner: The Gurkha Museum Trust
People’s Choice Silver: Electric Umbrella
People’s Choice Bronze: The Migraine Trust
£1-£2.5 million.
Winner: Autistica
Silver: Young Camden Foundation
Bronze: Body & Soul
People’s Choice Winner: The Elizabeth Foundation
People’s Choice Silver: Epilepsy Scotland
People’s Choice Bronze: Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity
£2.5-£5 million.
Winner: Carers UK
Silver: Unseen UK
Bronze: Providence Row
People’s Choice Winner: Kinship
People’s Choice Silver: Designability
People’s Choice Bronze: Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity
£5-£15 million.
Winner: Friends of the Earth
Silver: Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
Bronze: Whizz Kidz
People’s Choice Winner: Breakthrough T1D
People’s Choice Silver: Havens Hospices
People’s Choice Bronze: Crohn’s and Colitis UK
£15-£50 million.
Winner: Scope
Silver: SSAFA
Bronze: Mountbatten Isle of Wight
People’s Choice Winner: Brooke Action for Working Horses and Donkeys
Silver: Mountbatten Isle of Wight
Bronze: North East Autism Society
Over £50 million.
Winner: Alzheimer’s Society
Silver: Sightsavers
Bronze: Waythrough
People’s Choice Winner: Cats Protection
People’s Choice Silver: RNLI
People’s Choice Bronze: Action for Children
Longform Under £500,000.
Winner: Younger People With Dementia
Silver: MyLife Productions 2013 CIC
Bronze: Olly’s Future
People’s Choice Winner: Timothy Syndrome Alliance
People’s Choice Silver: Blue Spirit
People’s Choice Bronze: Restorative Justice Council
Longform £500,000-£5 million.
Winner: Race Council Cymru
Silver: METRO Charity
Bronze: Headway East London
People’s Choice Winner: Soil Association
Silver: Daisy’s Dream
Bronze: Saracens Sport Foundation
Longform Over £5 million.
Winner: The Woodland Trust
Silver: GamCare
People’s Choice Winner: Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance
People’s Choice Silver: Sightsavers
People’s Choice Bronze: Derian House Children’s Hospice
The Bicester Collection International Impact.
Winner: Pebbles Project
Silver: This Life Cambodia
Bronze: L’ENVOL
People’s Choice Winner: Four Paws
People’s Choice Silver: Kinder Paradise
People’s Choice Bronze: Klitschko Foundation
Corporate Cause.
Winner: Purina UK&I
Silver: Suffolk Building Society
Bronze: Zero Hour
Charity check-in
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
The Fore. This charity is transforming lives and society by turbo-charging exceptional small charities and social enterprises. Support them here.
The Brother’s Trust. This charity is run by Tom Holland’s family, aiming to shine a light on charities where generous donations can be used to maximum effect. Find out more.
The Henry Smith Charity. This is a grant giving charity that aims to use its resources to help people and communities in the UK. Learn more here.