The independent safeguarding group Thirtyone:eight has come out on top of a list of best charities to work for. 

The charity was overall winner in Third Sector magazine's list for 2020, which recognises "outstanding workplaces". 

To make the list, charities need to score highly across a range of areas, like leadership, strategic planning, creating strong teams and fostering good personal relationships. 

The scores are based on the views of employees. 

Likening the team at Thirtyone:eight to an extended family, its joint chief executive Steve Ball said the charity had striven to create a culture of care and compassion for all.

"We genuinely care for each other and look after each other," he said. 

He continued: "We're absolutely delighted to have been named the overall winner in this, the inaugural year of the Third Sector's Best Charities to Work For awards.

"With such a high standard across the board, we're so pleased to be recognised in this way alongside so many great causes.

"We believe our Christian values as an organisation are an integral part of the culture we strive to create here at Thirtyone:eight, and we've been so encouraged to see this acknowledged independently in this way."

Thirtyone:eight is a respected safeguarding charity that has been involved in a number of independent reviews of church leaders.  More recently, these have included a review into the allegations of spiritual abuse against evangelical pastor Jonathan Fletcher, and another into the leadership at the Crowded House church in Sheffield, formerly led by Steve Timmis.