27/05/2026
We are extremely excited and honoured to announce that Hull Sisters has won the Digital Inclusion Award at the Hey Smile Charity Awards Ceremony.
This is not simply an award for us but it is recognition of years and years of hard work, struggle, sacrifice, and survival. Behind this recognition are stories filled with misery, hardship, resilience, determination, and hope. It represents every barrier we faced, every setback we survived, and every woman who continued to believe in a better future despite the odds.
We are deeply grateful to Hey Smile for choosing Hull Sisters for this recognition. Our journey towards digital inclusion has been long and challenging, but it has always been driven by the belief that no woman should be left behind because of poverty, exclusion, language barriers, or lack of access to technology.
Our story began in 2014, when we first started helping women learn how to use mobile phones and basic digital tools. Many of the women we supported were digitally excluded, which increased their isolation, vulnerability, and inability to access opportunities and essential services.
We started with just one donated computer. Later, we received a few donated laptops, many of which constantly needed repairs, maintenance, and software updates. Despite approaching countless organisations and services for support to help the most disadvantaged in our community, we often faced disappointment and rejection.
During one of the most difficult periods in our journey, we were evicted from our building, and the donated laptops we relied upon were stolen. Once again, we had to start from nothing, pleading with the public and services for donated equipment so our women could continue learning.
The building we eventually secured needed major renovation. At times, we did not even have enough tables and chairs. Yet the women still came. They sat together on carpets, listening to lessons, supporting one another, and refusing to give up. The spirit, strength, and determination were always there, even when the resources were not.
Through persistence, consistency, and the power of our community, we have now created a dedicated IT room and employed a qualified IT tutor who works tirelessly to provide an empowering and culturally safe learning environment for women who have too often been left behind.
Today, our IT sessions are one of the most successful and valued parts of our work. Women not only gain digital skills, but also build confidence, friendships, and social networks. They go on to access further training, improve opportunities, develop independence, and take greater control of their own lives.
This recognition belongs to every woman who walked through our doors carrying fear, trauma, isolation, and uncertainty yet still found the courage to learn, connect, grow, and believe in herself again.
