Wychavon District Council has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Leadership of the Year category at the UK Social Mobility Awards 2026.
The national awards, also known as the SOMOs, recognise organisations and individuals working to advance social mobility and create fairer opportunities for people from all backgrounds.
Wychavon’s finalist place recognises the council’s leadership and partnership work to improve opportunities for children, young people, and families across the district. This includes support delivered with schools, community partners and local organisations to help remove barriers, build confidence, and make sure more residents have the chance to thrive.
Over the past two years, activity has included family support through Action for Children, bursaries for schools to take part in Education Endowment Foundation programmes, confidence and resilience work with young people, speech and language work with NHS teams and £54,000 of social mobility grants supporting 31 local projects.
David Manning, Head of Communities at Wychavon, said: “We are delighted to be shortlisted for this national award. Social mobility is about making sure everyone has the chance to succeed, no matter where they start. This recognition reflects Wychavon’s commitment and investment over almost a decade to working together with schools, early years providers and other partners to remove barriers, raise aspirations and give young people the support they need to build a good life.”
Winners will be announced at the UK Social Mobility Awards gala in London on Tuesday 6 October 2026.
Note: The UK Social Mobility Awards are organised by Making The Leap and celebrate organisations and individuals working to advance social mobility across the UK.
