Innovators tackling hunger, mental health and social challenges win Cambridge Social Innovation Prize

Winners of the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize for 2026 have been selected for their achievements and potential creating positive social impact for individuals and communities in different parts of the UK through fashion, accessibility, training and entrepreneurship.

The Prize is awarded by Trinity Hall and the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation at the University of Cambridge, supported by a generous donation from Trinity Hall alumnus Graham Ross Russell.

These awards are made annually to extraordinary founder-CEOs of scale-up social enterprises to support their growth as leaders. Uniquely, the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize recognises mid-career social innovators with a proven track record, but who could benefit from support to reach the next level. The prize includes a £10,000 cash award for personal and professional development. Additionally, mentoring from experts from Cambridge Social Ventures at Cambridge Judge Business School and support from an expanding community of social innovators at Trinity Hall will help them to develop the skills, resources, and networks they need to create more impact from their work.

The winners are:

• Danielle McKinnon – Founder of Eat, Sleep, Ride, a Scottish social enterprise and charity that uses horses, nature and community-based programmes to support personal development, wellbeing and leadership, particularly for young people and disadvantaged communities.
• Nathan Atkinson – Co-founder and CEO of Rethink Food, a UK social enterprise that works with schools to tackle food insecurity, improve food education and create healthier futures for children and families.
• Lucy Hebbert — Head of GINA, a social enterprise supporting survivors of sexual violence and abuse through specialist counselling, advocacy and educational resources
• Matt Parfitt — Founder and CEO of Grace Enterprises, a social enterprise creating life-changing employment opportunities for people facing significant barriers to work, including homelessness, addiction and modern slavery.

Winner, Danielle McKinnon described what winning the prize means for her work:

“I applied because, after years of pouring everything into this, founders like me rarely get the chance to invest in their own development — and because I find it hard to capture just how much we’ve achieved.

“Honestly? I’m gobsmacked to have won. It means the world, both to me and to every person we’re here to serve.”

Nicole Helwig, Executive Director for the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation says of this year’s winners:

“The 2026 winners of the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize demonstrate the transformative power of purpose and social innovation to address some of society’s most pressing challenges. From empowering the next generation with the knowledge and skills to lead healthier, more sustainable lives, to harnessing the power of horses to transform lives, creating supportive employment through sustainable businesses, and providing specialist support for survivors of sexual violence, Nathan Atkinson, Danielle McKinnon, Matt Parfitt and Lucy Hebbert are driving meaningful, lasting change. We’re proud to recognise their achievements and support their continued journeys as they grow their impact”.