Nominate a young person who has acheived against the odds for an award

Do you know a young Hackney person who has achieved against the odds? How have they excelled and what are their plans for the future?

Tell us on the nomination form below and they could win a 2024 award. (Nominations are considered by a panel of young people and community representatives.)

Award winners will receive a recognition certificate and a cash award of  £150!

Who are the awards for?

• Young people aged 16 – 25.
• Young people who live or were born in Hackney.

Nominate here

Nomination deadline: 5pm, Monday 24 June.

Awards will be presented at our summer celebration on Tuesday 16 July at St Mary’s Secret Garden.

Photo gallery of the 2023 awards celebration for young people and community groups

Lunch Up!

Cypriot cuisine from Hackney Cypriot Association

Sarah Watson & Zebina Myrie from Hackney CVS welcomed guests

Mark Boisson & Olivia Pethick, Hackney CVS, presented the first Adiaha Antigha award

Lizzie Yauner accepted the award on behalf of 2nd Chance Cafe

Rainbow Grow, a local gardening project, won the LGBTQ+ award. The award was presented by the co-chairs of the Hackney CVS LGBTQI+ forum, (l-r) Joanne English and Ifraax Samatar

Rosemary Jawara, VCS Leadership chair (l) and Delia Mattis (r) from Hackney CVS presented the Adiaha Antigha environmental award to Terry Kinsella from the Leaside Trust

Hackney CVS treasurer Tim Vaughan and trustee Jess Stockford (r) presented Joycelyn Dankwa, National Parents and Youth Open Forum, with the Adiaha Antigha award for commitment to the community

Tony Wong, CEO of Hackney CVS, presented a posthumous lifetime achievement award

Liz Hugues and Sermin Aksoy accepted a posthumous lifetime achievement award for Jasmina Dimitrijevic, Refugee Women's Association, in honour of her dedication to the community

Abigail Burland received a Gary Francis young achievers award

Grace Nankya Ssendegeya also received a young achievers award. The Gary Francis awards were presented by The Crib's Janette Collins, MBE, (l) and Emmanuel Akin, pictured alongside Tony Wong

Who was Gary Francis?

Gary was Hackney CVS’s Youth Programmes manager. Over six years he secured nearly £2m for projects working with young people.

Gary was a key figure in the local community and his knowledge and expertise helped to shape the Borough’s approach to tackling youth crime by ensuring a focus on giving young people opportunities to achieve their best.

Sadly, Gary died from cancer in 2012. We hold the annual awards to remember his life and work and to celebrate the achievements of some amazing local young people.