About Us
Awards Plus, formerly Friends of the Award in Edinburgh & the Lothians (FOTA), is both a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee, and a charity. This provides both a robust financial structure and reporting system and the ability to fundraise to support our ambitions to make the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and other youth awards accessible to all.
FOTA was established in 1998 with the remit to support the operation of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award throughout the Edinburgh and Lothians area. The name change took place in 2023. The charity has a Board of Directors and Management Committee composed entirely of volunteers. Board Members come from a variety of professional backgrounds – and give very generously of their time to manage and support the work of Awards Plus.
Awards Plus is partly funded by charitable donations and sponsorship. Within this new funding landscape we are building up our ability to generate some of our own funds through a variety of means.
Within recent years we have secured funding to extend the reach of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to more disadvantaged young people – working with NHS Lothian’s CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) and a variety of local youth projects (allowing people outwith mainstream schooling to complete their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award).
“Friends of the Award have provided significant ‘added value’ to the delivery of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Edinburgh over a number of years. Through their innovative work they now have significant expertise in successfully using the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award as a method of engaging marginalised young people, building capacity through partnership working and supporting volunteers.”
Barry Fisher
Director – Scotland, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Staff Team
Christine Carlton
Finance Officer
christine.carlton@awardsplus.org.uk
Rob Bushby
CEO
rob.bushby@awardsplus.org.uk
Heather Hughes
Development Officer
heather.hughes@awardsplus.org.uk
Louise Tibbey
Administrator
louise.tibbey@awardsplus.org.uk
Ian McDougall
Expeditions Support Worker
ian.mcdougall@awardsplus.org.uk
Debbie Riley
Operations and Expeditions Manager
debbie.riley@awardsplus.org.uk
Company Documents
Annual Reports
- Annual Report 2022
- Annual Report 2020
- Annual Report 2019
- Annual Report 2018
- Annual Report 2017
- Contact Us for earlier Annual Reports
Annual Accounts
- Annual Accounts 2022
- FOTA Accounts 2021
- Annual Accounts 2020
- Annual Accounts 2019
- Annual Accounts 2018
- Annual Accounts 2017
- Contact Us for earlier Annual Accounts
Friends of the Award in Edinburgh & the Lothians (FOTA) is both a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee, and a charity. This provides both a robust financial structure and reporting system and the ability to fundraise to support our ambitions to make the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and other youth awards accessible to all.
FOTA was established in 1998 with the remit to support the operation of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award throughout the Edinburgh and Lothians area. The charity has a Board of Directors and Management Committee composed entirely of volunteers. Board Members come from a variety of professional backgrounds – and give very generously of their time to manage and support the work of FOTA.
FOTA is partly funded by charitable donations and sponsorship. Within this new funding landscape we are building up our ability to generate some of our own funds through a variety of means.
Within recent years we have secured funding to extend the reach of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to more disadvantaged young people – working with NHS Lothian’s CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) and a variety of local youth projects (allowing people outwith mainstream schooling to complete their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award).
“Friends of the Award have provided significant ‘added value’ to the delivery of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Edinburgh over a number of years. Through their innovative work they now have significant expertise in successfully using the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award as a method of engaging marginalised young people, building capacity through partnership working and supporting volunteers.”
Barry Fisher
Director – Scotland, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Staff Team
Christine Carlton
Finance Officer
christine.carlton@fota.org.uk
Rob Bushby
CEO
rob.bushby@fota.org.uk
Heather Hughes
Development Officer
heather.hughes@fota.org.uk
Louise Tibbey
Administrator
louise.tibbey@fota.org.uk
Company Documents
Annual Reports
- Annual Report 2022
- Annual Report 2020
- Annual Report 2019
- Annual Report 2018
- Annual Report 2017
- Contact Us for earlier Annual Reports
Annual Accounts
- Annual Accounts 2022
- FOTA Accounts 2021
- Annual Accounts 2020
- Annual Accounts 2019
- Annual Accounts 2018
- Annual Accounts 2017
- Contact Us for earlier Annual Accounts