Unsung community heroes honoured for their social action

Two Jewish charities which encourage young people to get involved with social action have been honoured at a prestigious awards ceremony.

Project ImpACT and Hand in Hand (formerly known as Shabbat Walk) were winners in the “Inspiring Youth” category at this year’s London Dangoor Awards.

The awards, which pay tribute to unsung heroes from faith communities across the capital, are overseen by the Faith and Belief Forum.

In their eighth year, they have been renamed the London Dangoor Awards after David Dangoor, a champion of interfaith relations. Dangoor, a former president of the Elders of the S&P Sephardi Community, is chair of the Lord Lieutenant of Greater London’s Faith Council.

Phil Champain, director of the Faith and Belief Forum said the awards, which were presented at the Royal Society of Medicine, were “to remind ourselves of the multitude of positive stories that give us hope for London’s diverse faith and belief communities during what are tough days for many”.

Project ImpACT empowers and educates young people to contribute to the wider community, whilst learning about social responsibility and the charity sector.

Since the charity launched over four years ago, over 5,000 teens have volunteered with ImpACT, giving 45,000 hours to the community and supporting 40 charities.

The ImpACT Youth kitchen [in Golders Green] has provided more than 25,000 meals for people in need across all faiths, reliant upon local food banks and homeless shelters.

Commenting on the award, Chayli Fehler, director and founder of Project ImpACT, said: “We were honoured to receive the award in recognition of the thousands of hours our young volunteers have carried out supporting local charities.

“Winning the Youth Award is fantastic, and we hope it inspires more teens to come together every week to make a difference to vulnerable members of society.”

The award comes on the back of Mitzvah Day in November, when over 200 young people from across 25 schools volunteered in the youth kitchen, preparing and cooking nutritious and healthy meals for local food banks and homeless shelters, using surplus food from the Felix Project. The volunteers were joined by celebrity vegan chef, Ben Rebuck and Justice Minister and local MP Sarah Sackman.

Hand in Hand arranges daily volunteering opportunities for young people, whilst simultaneously alleviating hardship in the community.

The young volunteers assist families facing challenges such as bereavement, divorce, post-natal complications, long-term illness, or caring for children with additional needs.

Each year, they train and support over 850 volunteers from 27 secondary schools across London and Manchester, arranging 600 hours of volunteering a week on average.

Jessica Boxer, head of development at Hand in Hand, said afterwards: “It’s a privilege for Hand in Hand to be recognised for inspiring young people to take themselves out of their comfort zone to help vulnerable people in the Jewish community.

“The hands-on efforts of our volunteers – week in, week out – are truly transformative, not only for those they help but also for also for the volunteers themselves, building resilience and creating a more connected, happier community.”

In the Interfaith Relations category, Middlesex University Inter Faith Network (MDX IFN) was recognised for bringing together staff, students and people outside the university from diverse backgrounds to take part in events such as The Big Iftar, Faith and Peace Walk and Mitzvah Day.

Es Rosen, president of Barnet Multi Faith Forum said: “Middlesex University Inter Faith Network (MDX IFN) is a shining example of an interfaith partnership. By collaborating with Barnet Multi Faith Forum and Barnet Council, MDX IFN has fostered understanding, respect, and cooperation among diverse communities.

“The network's commitment to education, inclusion, and environmental sustainability has been recognised with prestigious awards, making it a role model for interfaith initiatives.”

Also acknowledged for the significant contribution he has made to interfaith relations was Stuart Diamond, the chief executive of Mitzvah Day and a committee member of Barnet Multi Faith Forum.

Under Diamond’s leadership,Mitzvah Day has grown into a global movement, attracting thousands of volunteers of all faiths and none to carry out social action in their community.

Their efforts to improve social cohesion were praised by Cllr Zahra Beg from Barnet Council, cabinet member of equalities and the voluntary sector, who said: “I am proud to see Barnet’s voluntary, community and faith sector so well represented at these prestigious awards.

"The work in our borough to further interfaith harmony and collaboration in our borough is one of our greatest strengths, so it’s gratifying to see it being recognised…[These organisations] are a credit to Barnet.”

Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, who presented the awards, said: “The London Dangoor Awards shine a well-deserved light on the impactful work of these dedicated men and women. Through these awards, we aim to celebrate the achievements of those whose work often goes unseen but whose contributions are in dispensable to our city.”