Consumer Action

Sponsored by Which?

The things we buy in the shops, the services we use whether in a hospital or a school are central to our lives. This award is for campaigners who are fighting to get a fair deal for all. 

Winner

Sharon Davidson

‘Improving access to NHS infertility treatment in Northern Ireland’ - Infertility Network UK

According to Sharon, there is a postcode lottery relating to NHS fertility treatment. For example, patients living in Scotland can access three fertility treatment cycles while patients in Northern Ireland can access only one treatment cycle. The National Infertility Awareness Campaign (NIAC), led by Infertility Network UK, has been calling for improvements in fertility services since 1994.  Sharon is lobbying for three NHS treatment cycles to be available for patients in Northern Ireland.

 

Finalists

Helen Buckland

‘Clear Labels, Not Forests’ - Sumatran Orangutan Society

Palm oil is found in almost half of packaged food products, usually listed simply as ‘vegetable oil’. The expansion of palm oil plantations is a significant driver of tropical deforestation. Helen’s campaign is calling for the compulsory labelling of palm oil on food packaging across the EU. She hopes that clear labelling will allow EU citizens to make choices about the products they buy, and support the drive towards companies using certified sustainable palm oil.

Ann Carver

‘Spendaholics CASH (Conscious Action Starts HERE)’ - Hey Big Spender

Ann’s campaign is about ‘spendaholism’, a recognised yet virtually unaddressed addiction. Ann is developing a national campaign that aims to support people towards sustainable debt freedom. She plans to set up a national helpline and wants to see an increase in money education in schools to promote healthy spending habits and financial responsibility.

Award Judges

Sue Leggate

Sue joined the Which? Council in 2001, having worked at Which? in various editorial and research posts from 1969 to 1995.

She has various paid activities as a non-executive director/lay member in regulatory fields. She was appointed in 2004 to the Council for Health Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) and in 2005 to the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC). 

In 2000 she joined the General Medical Council’s Medical School Visiting Teams.

Emily Robinson

Emily Robinson was one of the first winners of a Sheila McKechnie Foundation Award. In 2006 she won the Health and Social Care Award for her work as Campaigns Manager for BLISS, campaigning to improve levels of nursing care for special care baby units.

Emily then moved to Consumers International as Campaigns Manager before joining the Local Government Association (LGA) in 2008 as Head of Public Affairs and Campaigns. She is a Trustee of SMK.

Rebecca Smithers

Rebecca has been consumer affairs correspondent of The Guardian since 2006. She was previously the paper's transport correspondent and also wrote on education for nine years. She is governor of a North London secondary school.