Rays of Sunshine wins Third Sector Award for Best Charity Film

We’re delighted to share that Rays of Sunshine has won the Best Charity Film Award in the Medium Charity category at the 2026 Third Sector Awards for Cissy’s Story.

The Third Sector Awards celebrate outstanding work across the UK’s not-for-profit sector, recognising the people, teams and organisations making a difference through everything from fundraising and communications to service delivery and beyond.

Our winning film, Cissy’s Story, follows the journey of Cissy, whose story beautifully captures the journey of joy that Rays of Sunshine provides – from her wish as a child through some of the key and magical moments in her life, to the young woman she is today.

And there was an extra special reason to celebrate on the night – Cissy was there with our team to collect the award in person.

Cissy, said: “It was such a special night and I’m so proud that my story has helped Rays of Sunshine win this award. It means a lot to me to be able to share my journey and show other families the joy that a wish can bring.”

It was also a proud evening for Rays of Sunshine, with our CEO, Amy Chambers, named as a finalist for the Rising CEO Award alongside so many inspiring leaders from across the charity sector.

Amy said: “I’m incredibly proud to be CEO of Rays of Sunshine and of everything we continue to achieve together. Being recognised alongside so many brilliant charity leaders was a real honour, but everything we have achieved is very much a team effort, and I feel incredibly fortunate to lead such a passionate and committed group of people.

“For me, though, the most special part of the evening was seeing Cissy’s Story recognised. Her story captures so authentically everything Rays of Sunshine exists for – bringing joy to seriously ill children through the transformational power of a wish, and continuing to create moments of joy, connection and belonging as they grow into adulthood.

“To have Cissy there with us to collect the award made it even more meaningful. I’m so grateful to her for trusting us to tell her story, to Emma and the team at Saltways for capturing it with such warmth and authenticity and to the Third Sector judges for choosing us”

Watch Cissy’s Story and discover more about the journey of joy your support can help create for seriously ill children.