For the third year running, Millstream Productions has won the Gold People’s Choice Award in the Smiley Awards, in collaboration with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) and Media Gang.
The Smiley Charity Film Awards spotlight the transformative power of storytelling and are awarded to organisations using creativity to foster empathy and drive social change, featuring everything from intimate personal narratives to impactful global campaigns.
The People’s Choice Award is given to the charity who receives the most votes from supporters in their community and we’re delighted to announce the winning video is the 'Operation Airbase appeal coming to a town near you'.
In September 2024, HIOWAA launched Operation Airbase - a £3.6 million appeal to convert and equip their new airbase near Southampton Airport, to help them be by patients’ side quicker than ever before.
The video shows footage we captured with the HIOWAA team being projected on buildings in different locations including Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, and Eastleigh. Part of the Operation Airbase campaign, the video has received 35,000 views since its release across the charity’s YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok accounts.
To date, their community has raised more than £3.3 million.
We asked Gemma, Marketing Manager, to tell us what winning this award means to the charity:
“We’re thrilled to have won this award for the third consecutive year, and we can’t thank our loyal supporters enough for turning out in such incredible numbers to vote for us. We’re immensely proud to have such a passionate and dedicated supporter base behind us.
Collaborating with Millstream and Media Gang to bring the story of Operation Airbase to life was a fantastic experience, and their work significantly boosted the reach and engagement of the campaign. With just a few weeks to go until our big move, we’re excited to proudly display the trophy in our new home.”
