A special win and real-life impact for powerful doc from Stern & Wild client

Huge congratulations to Stern & Wild filmmaker Helen Nixon whose heart-rending two-part ITV special LONG LOST FAMILY: THE MOTHER AND BABY HOME SCANDAL was voted the winner of the Radio Times Readers’ Award at this year’s Sandford St Martin Awards.

Directed by Helen and presented by Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell, the Wall to Wall documentary investigated the mother and baby homes run by Christian denominations operating in England from the 1940s to the 70s and the traumatic treatment of the unmarried women and girls who were placed there and whose children were forcibly adopted.

Broadcast on ITV1 in September last year, it followed the stories of three people with connections to the homes as they tracked down their relatives and highlighted the campaign to get the British government, which funded many of the homes, to apologise to those affected.

We are delighted to report it was announced yesterday that Downing Street is to make a full apology on behalf of the state and today the Church of England has told birth mothers and children affected by historical forced adoptions that it is "profoundly sorry" for its role in the practice.

Welcoming the news, Helen said: “I hope the survivors, both mothers and children, now receive the compensation, counselling and support they need”.

Well done to Helen and everyone involved in this powerful production.

The Sandford St Martin Awards celebrate UK radio, TV and online programming that explores religious, spiritual and ethical themes across all genres. They were presented at a ceremony on Tuesday evening at Lambeth Palace. For a full list of winners, click here.