Meet the 2026 ILM and Crispin Ellison Bursary award winners

Always a highlight of the annual conference, our awards ceremony provides an opportunity for us to celebrate the successes of those in the sector who have excelled in their roles, whether that be through the work they are doing day to day, through mentoring other legacy professionals, or through their excellent qualification results.

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As per tradition, the ILM Awards and Crispin Ellison Bursary Awards were presented at the ILM annual conference on Friday 8th May 2026.

Presented by Ashley Rowthorne, Executive Director of Legacy Futures and Smee & Ford, six awards were given out to Legacy Professionals who have demonstrated excellence within various areas of their roles as Legacy Professionals.

ILM MENTOR OF THE YEAR 2026 – HELEN HOARE, ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION (RNLI)

Receiving the first award of the day for Mentor of the Year 2026, was Helen Hoare from the RNLI. Having received two separate nominations for the award, Helen was nominated for her kindess and generosity in sharing her depth of experience and exceptional knowledge with mentees.

“Helen’s mentoring style is rooted in empathy, patience, and genuine care, creating a safe space where I feel encouraged to develop and be myself. Her knowledge is exceptional. She brings a depth of experience that she shares generously and with clarity.”

“Helen brings ambition, insight, collaboration and kindness into every interaction. I am so proud to have secured her as my mentor – she is, quite simply, a legend, and she truly deserves this award.”.

(Nominated by both Jagdish Kaur, RABF and Jo Warren MS Society) 

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ILM CICLA HIGH ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2026 – LISA-MARI SPENCE, NETWORK FOR ANIMALS

The second award of the day was presented to Lisa Mari-Spence from the Network for Animals who was awarded Certificate in Charity Legacy Administration Highest Achiever 2026 for achieving an impressive 91% in June 2025.

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ILM  DIPLOMA HIGH ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2026 – LUCY MARSH, SOMERSET WILDLIFE TRUST

The third award of the day was presented to Lucy Marsh from Somerset Wildlife Trust who was awarded Diploma in Charity Legacy Management Highest Achiever 2026 for achieving an impressive 94% in June 2025.

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ILM LEGACY PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR 2026 – MEGAN PAUL, CANCER RESEARCH UK (CRUK)

Widely regarded as the ultimate recognition of accomplishment for Legacy Professionals, the ILM Legacy Professional of the Year award is always hotly anticipated. This year, the award was presented to Megan Paul from CRUK, who was nominated for her positivity, sound judgement and willingness to go above and beyond.

“Megan’s ability to identify risks, offer sound and pragmatic judgment, and navigate sensitive situations makes her a trusted adviser to all who work with her. Megan also brings experience from private practice, particularly in Court of Protection matters, where she applies a deep understanding of the application process to safeguard the best interests of the charity.  

Above all, Megan is a joy to work with – she is consistently positive, kind, and patient, bringing warmth and laughter to even the busiest days. Her colleagues trust Megan’s expertise, value her calm problem-solving approach, and deeply appreciate her willingness to go above and beyond.” 

(Nominated by Alex Leighton, CRUK)

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Crispin Ellison Bursary

Legacy Futures bursary awards are named in memory of the ILM’s founding member and lifetime President.

They aim to invest in the future talent to help charities continue to grow through legacy giving.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the award, this year, four winners were selected to receive a training package from the ILM up to the value of £1,000. Two winners were previously announced at the Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards in April. Announced at the ILM conference were:

NICK ROWLAND, WORLD CANCER RESEARCH FUND

HANNAH O’NEILL, BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY