The Sandford St Martin Trust is a United Kingdom-based religious charity. It was established in 1978 to promote excellence in religious broadcasting. Each year the Trust holds an awards ceremony for outstanding achievement in religious broadcasting. The awards ceremony is held at Lambeth Palace where prize money of approximately £10,000 is awarded to winners. Categories have included radio, TV, and a Local and Community Award (made in 2014). In 2015 the Sandford St Martin Trust Awards introduced a new children's category for content aimed at under-18s.
The Sandford St Martin Trust also administer a joint "Readers' Award" with the Radio Times for a programme chosen by readers of that magazine.
The Trust is administered by up to twelve trustees. The current chair is the Rt Rev'd Jan McFarlane, Bishop of Repton. Trustees include the broadcasters Roger Bolton and Torin Douglas MBE.
Special awards
2015
Children's Broadcasting Award: Children of the Holocaust, Fettle Animation for BBC Two
Children's Broadcasting Runner-up: Children of Kabul- An Uncertain Future, A CBBC Newsround Special
Trustees’ Award: Lyse Doucet, Broadcast Journalist
2014
Local, Community and Online Award: Sounds Jewish: The Jewish Revival in Poland, JW3: Jewish Community Center for London for Guardian.com website
Personal Award: Melvyn Bragg, Broadcaster
Trustees Award: Sir John Tavener, Composer
2013
Trustees’ Award: Olympic Opening Ceremony 2012, Director: Danny Boyle, Writer: Frank Cottrell Boyce for BBC One
Personal Award: Jonathan Sacks, Former Chief Rabbi
Television Awards
2015
Winner: One Million Dubliners, Underground Films for RTÉ One
Runner-up: Marvellous, Fifty Fathoms and Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC Two
2014
Winner: The Story of the Jews, Oxford Film and TV for BBC Two, Presenter: Simon Schama Runner-up: A Very British Ramadan, Watershed Productions for Channel 4 Runner-up: Hillsborough – Never Forgotten, BBC Religion and Ethics for BBC Two
2013
Premier Award: David Suchet: In the Footsteps of St Paul - CTVC/Jerusalem Productions for BBC One, Presenter: David Suchet Runner-Up: Goodbye to Canterbury - BBC Factual Arts for BBC Two, Presenter: Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury Merit Award: Islam: The Untold Story - Maya Vision International for Channel 4 Radio Times Readers' Award: David Suchet: In the Footsteps of St Paul - CTVC/Jerusalem Productions for BBC One
2012
Premier Award: Life of Muhammad - Crescent Films / Rageh Omaar for BBC Two, Presenter: Rageh Omaar Runner-Up: The King James Bible: The Book that Changed the World - BBC Religion & Ethics for BBC Two, Presenter: Melvyn Bragg Merit Award: Ian Hislop: When Bankers Were Good - Wingspan Productions for BBC Two, Presenter: Ian Hislop Merit Award: Wonderland: A Hasidic Guide to Love, Marriage and Finding a Bride - BBC Factual for BBC Two Radio Times Readers' Award: Songs of Praise 50th Anniversary - BBC One / BBC Religion & Ethics
2011
Premier Award: The Nativity - Red Planet Pictures / BBC Wales for BBC One
Runner-up: Our World: God’s Beggar Children - BBC News Channel / BBC World News
Merit Award: Benedict: Trials of a Pope - BBC Religion & Ethics for BBC Two
Merit Award: Rev - Big Talk Productions for BBC Two
Radio Times Readers' Award: The Nativity - Red Planet Pictures / BBC Wales for BBC One
2010
Premier Award: The Bible: A History, Episode 1: Creation - Pioneer Productions for Channel 4, Presenter: Howard Jacobson Runner-Up: A History of Christianity, Episode 1 - BBC Religion & Ethics for BBC Four, Presenter: Prof Diarmaid MacCulloch Merit: 1984: A Sikh Story - BBC Religion & Ethics for BBC One, Presenter: Sonia Deol Merit: Did Darwin Kill God? - BBC Religion & Ethics for BBC Two, Presenter: Conor Cunningham Radio Times Readers' Award: A History of Christianity, Episode 1 - BBC Religion & Ethics for BBC Four, Presenter: Prof Diarmaid MacCulloch
2009
Premier Award: Miracle on the Estate - BBC Religion & Ethics for BBC One
Runner-up: The Passion, Episode 3 - BBC Drama / Deep Indigo / HBO for BBC One
Runner-up: The Qu’ran - Juniper / Antony Thomas for Channel Four
Merit Award: Dispatches: Saving Africa’s Witch Children - Red Rebel / Oxford Scientific Films for Channel Four