The Hope Awards

Founded by multi-award-winning entrepreneur, Ellie MacDonald in 2024, Ellie is on a personal mission having lived experience of poor mental health herself, and losing her dad to suicide when she was just four years old.

Good mental health is shaped by many factors, and to live well, it is essential that we support the foundations that enable people to thrive despite life’s inevitable challenges. These awards celebrate the individuals who work tirelessly to help others build resilience, wellbeing, and brighter futures.

Emma supports small businesses, charities and community projects with content, branding and digital communications. With a background in marketing and education, she enjoys helping organisations communicate clearly online through social media, visual content and creative ideas. Emma is passionate about community-led projects and helping bring people together through engaging and meaningful events.

With over 25 years of experience, Jane Clynes Events specialises in planning and managing weddings, private parties, corporate functions, and charity events.

Jane works closely with clients such as Manning Stainton, BigChange, Women in Healthcare, and UK Israel Business, and co-founded the Pride in Diversity Awards. Key events include the Yorkshire Business Woman Awards, Yorkshire Children of Courage Awards, Leeds Jewish Community Pride Awards, and Dancing Strictly – all raising between £6,000–£50,000 per event for charities.

Jane & Ben are the co-founders of New Craven Hall, one of Leeds’ most distinctive and unique venues for wedding, corporate and private events.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026, the venue can host all manner of occasions from intimate gatherings and meetings to large celebrations and parties, and the team have delivered events for national and global brands including Google, Barclays, NHS, Adobe, P&G, Unilever, GHD and many more.

Claire Strachan is a PR Consultant working with Katy Pollard as part of ‘Claire & Katy PR’.

They work with SMEs across Yorkshire, and focus on thought leadership PR. Having lost afriend to suicide whilst at university, Claire was profoundly impacted and subsequently wrote her dissertation on suicide in young people. Over 30yrs later, the statistics have notimproved, despite much greater awareness.

With 20 years of PR and reputation management experience, Emma has provided live crisis support and strategic counsel for C-suite leaders of £multi-million blue chip companies.

As well as building and leading teams in communications agencies, Emma spent several years in-house leading on reputation management for one of the UK’s largest delivery companies at a time of significant growth and public scrutiny.

Andrew founded Ascensor in 2007, a Leeds-based digital agency specialising in driving leads and sales conversions to businesses using digital channels. Ascensor develop software and provide digital marketing activities to drive client growth. Andrew also co-owns Perfect Branded Gifts and operates a consultancy, Thinking Digital Strategy. Andrew has been involved in digital for over 25 years.

Andrew is a staunch advocate of AI and automation, and is a regular event speaker. Andrew is passionate about digital transformation and supporting businesses to improve efficiency and sales growth.