The second Young Ealing Foundation Awards (YEF Awards) which celebrates and recognises young people and the providers who help them across Ealing and its seven towns took place last night (6 July 2023) with 13 awards being given out at a packed ceremony in Ealing Town Hall.
The winners, selected by Ealing Young Champions from the Young Ealing Foundation. were whittled down from strong shortlists in each category that showcased the commitment Ealing young people have shown towards their local communities as well as the providers who help enable young people to achieve their potential.
Award | Winner |
Young Activist of the Year | Jennifer Abreu |
Employability Project of the Year | Brentford FC CST |
Young Creative Leader | Shanika Hodge-Constantin |
Creative Project of the Year | Descendants x Paxton House Parallel Lives, Worlds Apart |
Young Sports Leader of the Year | Rose Connolly Woods |
Physical Wellbeing Project of the Year | London Pulse Basketball Club |
Mental Wellbeing Project of the Year | Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow Mind Circle |
Young Entrepreneur of the Year | Chanelle McPherson-Bradshaw |
Disability Project of the Year | Westside Young People’s Centre Disability Project |
Education Project of the Year | Education & Skills Development Group (ESDEG) Technology Incubator |
Young Volunteer of the Year | MVP Mentors at Greenford School |
Youth Work Professional of the Year | Yara Mirdad |
Overcoming Adversity Award | Karan Jammu |
The proceedings were introduced by the Mayor of Ealing, Councillor Hitesh Tailor. Joining in the celebrations by giving out awards were Ealing Council cabinet members Kam Nagpal and Polly Knewstub along with Ealing Central & Acton MP Dr Rupa Huq.
Speaking to EALING.NEWS, Tanya Taylor, head of communications and business development for Young Ealing Foundation said: “The atmosphere last night was absolutely electric. We’d like to thank everyone who came down to join us in celebrating the incredible achievements of Ealing’s children, young people and youth providers. We were blown away by the support with over 250 people joining us in the celebrations.
“This was our second ever annual awards ceremony and it was even bigger and better than last year, which is saying something. We know that Ealing is full of phenomenal young people individuals working to support those young people and last night was an opportunity to highlight that and showcase it to the rest of the borough. From the performances last night it is clear that Ealing is home to amazing young talent and we are proud to have been able to provide a platform to showcase that talent. From dancing to opera, rapping to a choir and who could forget the awe-inspiring moment that Overcoming Adversity Award Winner, 11-year-old Karan Jammu performed his rendition of Miley Cyrus’ Flowers.
Ms Taylor added: “Last night was testament to how rich Ealing is as a borough and the impact that young people and youth providers have on the local community. It was a celebration for people who are truly worth celebrating and the Young Ealing Foundation will continue to put this on every year as we believe its important and needed. Young people are the future and youth workers are the unsung heroes of our communities. They deserve celebration, support and investment and the Young Ealing Foundation will continue to be here, encouraging others to work with us to make Ealing a great place for children and young people.”
Check out our photo gallery from the Young Ealing Foundation Awards