52 Lives founder and chief executive, Jaime Thurston, has today been named the Clarins Most Dynamisante Woman of the Year for 2016. 

Each year, the Clarins “Most Dynamic Woman” Award recognises the commitment of an exceptional woman who, through her organisation’s work, restores happiness, hope and dignity to children in need. 

"Earlier this year I found out I had been shortlisted for the award, after a kind 52 Lives supporter called Ann Ross nominated me" said Jaime. "When I went along to the interview with the judging panel, I met some amazing women who were also finalists. It was a very humbling experience and I left feeling like there was no way on earth I deserved to win that award."

But the judges were inspired by just how much the 52 Lives supporters achieve every single week. And most importantly, they were inspired by the kindness that is being spread far and wide. And so last week Jaime was presented with the award by Mr Olivier Courtin-Clarins, the International Managing Director of Clarins, Debbie Lewis MD of Clarins UK, and Catherine Fenton from YOU magazine.

School Kindness Project

The Award comes with £30,000 prize money that is going to be used to launch the 52 Lives School Kindness Project.

The School Kindness Project will take the 52 Lives concept into schools all over the UK. It aims to spread kindness and empower children by demonstrating in a very practical way how one small person can make a big difference to someone's life. Every week, we will visit a different school to run a Kindness Workshop. As well as sharing the philosophy of 52 Lives and all the wonderful things we have done, we will share the story of a child in need of help, and work with the children during the workshop to come up with ways to help that child. It's all about empowering children to help other children, and learning the immense power of a kind act.

"I truly believe people are innately kind, so if we can help children hold onto that kindness inside and realise what a difference they can make to the world...well...what an incredible thing that would be," said Jaime.

52 Lives would like to thank Clarins, YOU magazine and of course the judging panel - Shoshana from Clarins, and Jo Fairley and Catherine Fenton from YOU magazine - for putting such faith in the 52 Lives concept.  And huge thankyou to Ann Ross - a 52 Lives supporter who had never even met Jaime, but who made all of this happen by nominating her. 

And finally, thankyou to all of the 52 Lives community for helping us to change lives every single week. Jaime may have started 52 Lives but without all of our supporters, it would just be an empty Facebook page with unfulfilled requests for help.

Read the full article in the Mail on Sunday's YOU magazine

Mr Olivier Courtin-Clarins, the International Managing Director of Clarins, with Jaime