On Monday 15 October, the Team London Awards celebrated the many amazing Londoners who are giving up their time and volunteering in their communities. Now in its seventh year, the awards congratulate Londoners who are active citizens, making London a better place to be and improving the lives of those around them.
This year, for the first time, a new Young Londoner Award was presented to young people who are volunteering to help tackle youth violence.
I’m delighted that, for the first time, we are honouring young Londoners who have gone above and beyond to help tackle the scourge of youth violence in their communities. Volunteers who dedicate their time to community groups, charities, youth centres and sports teams play a vital role in giving young Londoners something positive and meaningful to do with their time, rather than being lured down the wrong path and into crime.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
The winners were:
- Nahimul Islam, who is developing a TV programme to encourage young people in Tower Hamlets to work together.
- Brogan Brooks, who is a young leader at BoxUpCrime – a Barking & Dagenham social enterprise offering boxing training.
- Tanisha Barrett-Thomas who volunteers at For Jimmy, a charity working to reduce anger, confrontation and violence in local communities.
- Students at Leyton Sixth Form who conducted a listening campaign to collect the views of staff and students on issues around crime and youth violence.
- Silence the Violence which was set up by students at Hendon School to raise awareness of gang and knife violence.
An evening to celebrate
The nine categories this year included Social Integration, Social Mobility and Community Engagement. Within these, awards were made to individuals or volunteer groups in a further five categories - individual volunteer or team under 25, individual volunteer over 25, a volunteer 'team' award, a business or corporate volunteering group award and an innovative project or charity award. Long Service Awards were also given out to three wonderfully dedicated people who have between them given over 100 years’ service!
The Mayor is committed to improving social integration in London, helping to bring Londoners of all faiths, backgrounds and social classes together. His strategy for social integration involves putting inclusion and relationships at the heart of policy-making and encouraging all Londoners to volunteer.
Volunteering is one of the most powerful ways we can improve social integration, active citizenship and bring so many other benefits to the communities we live in. That is why we are really proud of the annual Team London Awards and the opportunity it gives us to celebrate those who have selflessly given their time, skill and energy to help others. Congratulations to all the very worthy winners, as well as the thousands of Londoners whose volunteering contributes so much to our city others throughout the year.
Matthew Ryder, Deputy Mayor for Social Integration
Find out more about Team London and take a look at our picture gallery below!
And the winners are...!
- Isaac Skrzypczyk is a Cadet Ambassador for the Merton Volunteer Police Cadets, and uses his experiences as a transgender person to support young LGBTQ cadets (Merton).
- Deptford Green School Feminist Society inspire girls to think about political and community leadership, empowering them to think outside their background or culture and to become interested in their futures (Lewisham).
- Morden Urban Rangers is a team of young volunteers who carry out conservation projects at Morden Hall Park, providing opportunities for locals to get involved in looking after their green spaces (Merton).
- Thomas Pocock is a Yes Futures Coach and volunteers with groups of disadvantaged young people teaching them to believe in themselves and arranging workplace visits (Lewisham).
- Antonia Cohen created The Refugee Cricket Project to bring young refugees together, improve their English and offer guidance with asylum applications (Croydon).
- Llewellyn Alleyne volunteers for YMCA West London, helping to run free community football sessions at Botwell Leisure Centre as well as a drop-in session for people with substance abuse issues (Hillingdon).
- The Rainbow Club Supplementary School provides emotional as well as educational support in English and maths for refugees and asylum seekers in South London (Lewisham).
- The Kambala Estate Residents Association is run by residents, working with various groups to improve life for local people such as play therapy clubs, community lunches, children's cookery classes (Wandsworth).
- #EveryBodyCanDance Dance Crew created an inclusive fitness video produced by and featuring people with disabilities to encourage them to stay active (Surbiton).
- C Space volunteers equip Shaw Trust clients, including those with health conditions and disabilities, with vocational skills to help them into work (Harrow).
- Capsticks LLP employees volunteer with Wimbledon Guild to hold gadget workshops helping older people make best use of their smart devices (Merton).
- Mace Group volunteers shared their technical expertise and skills to help complete large infrastructure projects on two of Hammersmith Community Garden’s sites (Hammersmith and Fulham).
- Mixed Martial Arts for Reform and Progression uses Mixed Martial Arts to help young people develop life skills including health, education and financial responsibility (Islington).
- South West London Law Centres provides free legal advice and representation to people who could not otherwise afford access to justice.
- Home for Good is a scheme by The Passage which provides community support for vulnerable and formerly homeless people who have been resettled and/or are facing isolation (Westminster).
- Brogan Brooks volunteers for BoxUpCrime and uses her DJing skills to provide inspirational music for young people to divert them from turning to crime.
- Nahimul Islam volunteers on a TV show that inspires peaceful integration. He launched his own football club and delivers talks on knife crime (Tower Hamlets).
- Tanisha Barrett-Thomas raises awareness of youth violence in Lewisham for charity For Jimmy. She now works with her peers on safety issues across the borough (Lewisham).
- Leyton Sixth Form College created Leyton Citizens, a project which led students to meet with local leaders to discuss how to support young people at risk of getting involved in youth violence (Waltham Forest).
- Hendon School’s Silence the Violence initiative raises awareness of issues surrounding gang affiliation and community safety through conferences and campaign days (Barnet).
- Jean Chippendale has volunteered with Contact the Elderly for over 30 years, ensuring isolated people are assigned a volunteer driver so they can attend social events (Westminster).
- Tony Catherall volunteers for Bromley Community Counselling Service, setting up the Debt Advice Service and using his experience in banking to assist with debt problems (Bromley).
- Sedley Wilson is chair of Croydon People First, the self-advocacy organisation for people with learning disabilities, providing guidance and advice to his peers (Croydon).