Don't Panic in association with our media partner The Big Issue in the North launched the Social Impact Awards, a national awards programme to celebrate and reward excellence in charities, not for profit and social enterprise organisations as well as public and private sector organisations who have made a ‘Big Difference’ in their communities.

The awards were presented at an evening theatre style ceremony at The Comedy Store in Manchester on 1st May 2013, following a half day conference, which provided education, information, advice and case studies for third sector organisations and their partners in the public and private sectors.

The awards featured 26 categories, plus a grand prix award, and were judged by a high-level independent judging panel. The awards were free to enter for charities, not for profit organisations, social enterprises and those who have partnered with the third sector.

A full list of the 2013 winners is below and photos from the awards can be found on the Don't Panic flickr account. Here's our Grand Prix winners, The Brink Liverpool.

These awards were also notable as our first paperless event as we launched a responsive web app for guests that featured a delegate list, programme, shortlist and judges biographies. The app was developed by Fluid Digital and will become an integral part of all our future events. We feel that giving access to this kind of information on smart phones via a url or QR code is the future and also displays our commitment to our ongoing policy of being as green as possible.

The Social Impact Awards 14 will take place on the 7th of May next year!

Best Communications Campaign
Code Computerlove and Refuge - Refuge Support A Friend Campaign – Tackling The Biggest Social Issue Affecting Women In The UK

Best Corporate Partnership Initiative
Lansons Communications/HighTide Festival Theatre – Lansons Communications / HighTide Festival Theatre

Best Fundraising Event
The Grand at Clitheroe - GRAB:The Event

Best Public Sector Partnership Initiative
Big Heritage – EcoVikings - Best Public Sector Partnership Initiative

Best Start Up Social Enterprise
The Brink Liverpool (Action on Addiction)

Fundraiser of the Year
Everton in the Community – Carena Duffy

Innovation Award
The Hyde Group – Hyde Youth Bank

Large Charity of the Year
Adoption Matters Northwest – Highly Commended
Everton in the Community – Winner

SME Business Social Impact Award
MEC

Public Sector Social Impact Award
Halton Housing Trust - Communicating Welfare Reform

Small Charity of the Year
Acting on Impulse

Social Enterprise Leader of the Year
Action on Addiction - Jacquie Johnston-Lynch

Social Enterprise of the Year
Punch Records

Social Media Campaign of the Year
CENTRE FOR HIV AND SEXUAL HEALTH – The HIV Hop

Third Sector Social Impact Award
The Reader Organisation

Volunteer of the Year
Family Voices = Family Choices – Kelly Wallace

Volunteer Programme of the Year
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service – Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service Volunteer Programme

Website of the Year
Oxfam GB – Oxfam and Code Computerlove - Getting More People To Do More To Fight Poverty

Grand Prix
The Brink Liverpool (Action on Addiction)

Don’t Panic are expanding our highly successful Search Awards brand with the launch of a competition for the American search industry today.

The US Search Awards will be held in Las Vegas on Wednesday 23 October 2013 in association with Pubcon, the premier American social media and search engine optimisation conference and expo. A three year deal has been agreed to host the awards as part of the annual five day event which regularly attracts thousands of digital marketers to the city and keynotes from the biggest names in the industry.

Don’t Panic MD Nicky Wake said “With the success of our UK and European Search Awards we were keen to extend the competition to The States which is undeniably the largest search market in the world with an estimated value of almost $23 Billion last year.”

“The US Search Awards will recognise and reward digital marketing excellence by organisations, agencies and individuals based or working in the USA and we’re sure it will attract entries from companies all over the world who are contributing to the massive growth in the US search industry.”

“In an age where we immediately turn to the web to search for products, services and information, visibility and ranking is absolutely essential and we’re proud that our awards have become the key celebration for an ever evolving search industry.”

“We’re delighted to be working with Pubcon and we’ve had the full support of our joint headline sponsors Manual Link Building and Majestic SEO in bringing these awards to The States.”

We’re still in the process of finalising our judges but we’re very proud to confirm that Rand Fishkin of SEOmoz and former Microsoft legend Mel Carson are already on the panel.”

Don’t Panic launched the UK Search Awards in 2011 and the European Search Awards in 2012. This year’s UK Search Awards takes place at The Emirates Stadium in London on Thursday 14 November and the European Search Awards, which have doubled in size for year two, are being held in Barcelona on Thursday 20 June.