Islington celebrates ‘unsung heroes’ at community awards

(L-R) Mayor Anjna Khurana, Sue Brownson, Clive Anderson, Michelle Akpata, Sidney Fossey, Diana Brade, and Parent Empower Champions. Photograph: Em Fitzgerald

The Town Hall has honoured the community “heroes” at the mayor’s annual awards ceremony, for their help in making Islington a “more equal place”.

At the Assembly Hall on Tuesday evening (25 March), Mayor Anjna Khurana handed out gongs to local volunteers and community figures for their contributions to public life.

The nominees were shortlisted for the Mayor’s Civic Award and the Ben Kinsella award for “remarkable” young people, named in memory of a 16-year-old Islington boy who was stabbed to death in June 2008.

The latter prize was won by young fire cadet Sidney Fossey, for his work leading fire safety workshops for school pupils and also for helping improve green spaces at Tufnell Park Community Plant Nursery.

He told the audience he “worked his guts off” to perform to the highest standards, both inside and outside school.

Having just finished his three years as a fire cadet sub-officer, Sidney has now reached the rank of station officer and is poised for a career as a firefighter.

He received his award from TV’s Clive Anderson, who compèred the ceremony alongside the mayor.

The former host of Whose Line Is It Anyway? gave the audience some of his own wisdom on fire safety following a blaze at his own home years ago.

“If you’re thinking about getting a tumble dryer, I would think again. It used to be chip pans, or smoking in bed. Now [the cause] is always a tumble dryer as I understand it.”

The ceremony also marked the new Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Service to Islington, given to someone whose work “aligns with the mayor’s priorities for their term in office”.

This was handed to Sue Brownson for her work supporting Deaf and special needs children in the borough for four decades.

Ms Brownson said she felt “overwhelmed” but “also embarrassed” by her win.

“I’ve always seen my role as a facilitator,” she said, paying tribute to the teams of speech and language therapists, audiologists and others who had come to show her their support.

She added that it had been the “pleasure of her life” to see their knowledge and passion in helping hearing-impaired young people to “take their part in the world”.

“Deaf children show amazing strength, resilience, and such a positive attitude towards education, and in my experience have such pride in their deaf identity.

“One child once said to me: ‘Ms Brownson, deaf children have to work harder than everybody else – but it doesn’t mean to say we can’t achieve the same things.’”

Council leader Una O’Halloran (Labour) said it was a “great honour” to be at the ceremony and to recognise individuals’ work.

“Everybody knows that I love the voluntary sector.”

Leader of the opposition, Cllr Benali Hamdache (Green) said it was “one of the highlights of the year”.

“In a world where there’s so much going on – not all of it great – it’s great to be reminded of all the wonderful things that happen in this very special borough.”

Another award recipient was local volunteer Michelle Akpata, for her work renovating Finsbury’s Robert Blair Primary School, supporting outdoor chairty The Garden Classroom, and for her role as one of the borough’s Library Reading Champions.

Ms Akpata has also volunteered at Moorfields Eye Hospital and been a guide runner for blind and partially-sighted athletes.

Also recognised was Seyda Ozcan for her “countless hours” dedicated to the Mildmay Community Centre, and her leadership of the community co-op and food bank during the Covid-19 pandemic.

George Brade, caretaker at Whittington Park Community Centre, was posthumously given a prize. It was accepted by his daughter Diane, who had travelled from Birmingham to honour her father’s work.

She said her father “gave everything: heart, soul, body, mind”.

“He would have been so delighted. It’s such a jubilant occasion – this is for you, Dad.”

A devoted steel pan musician, Mr Brade worked at the centre for more than three decades, and in that time gave lessons to children, played for people at nursing homes and performed at local events.

An accolade also went to the Parent Empowerment Champions (PECs), a 14-strong group of volunteers who work to help young people stay safe online and tackle violence, including through their United Against Violence podcast that reaches an audience of more than 2,000 parents.

Mayor Khurana said: “Islington is a borough built on unity, and I am proud to highlight the incredible work being done by our diverse communities.

“In times of adversity, it is our unsung heroes who truly embody the values of hope, solidarity, and resilience – inspiring us all.

“Congratulations to the award winners and nominees for their outstanding contributions to our amazing borough.”

Each winner was presented with a certificate and award from Mayor Khurana, with the shortlisted nominees for the Ben Kinsella Award also awarded an exclusive ‘No More Red’ football shirt, courtesy of Adidas and Arsenal.

Full awards shortlist:

Mayor’s Civic Award

Michelle Akpata*
George Brade*
Bejal Desai
Friday Food Surplus Project Volunteers
The Highbury Quadrant Estate Nature Garden Group
Sahmim Noronha
Seyda Ozcan*
PEC*

Ben Kinsella Award

Hannah Aylward
Etain Buckley
Jihan Djouada
Sidney Fossey*
Sabriya Kanat

*Winners