40 | THE VOICE MARCH 2020
Destination Hackney
CVS WORKING FOR A FAIRER BOROUGH
H
ACKNEY CVS is the umbrella body for the local voluntary and community
sector. Their mission is to tackle inequality and drive social change. CVS want to make Hackney a fairer place because they believe everyone should have the best start in life and the best opportunities to succeed regardless of their background, race, social class, gender, sexuality or disability. CVS projects and services support people and communities that experience disadvantage, discrimination and isolation including migrants and refugees, black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, LQBTQ+ communities, young people and older people. For over 20 years they have supported the voluntary and community sector and local communities to be at
CONTRIBUTION: Adiaha Antigha the heart of providing solutions to Hackney’s problems. The CVS awards evening is a special night in their calendar – chiefly because all the nominees are so deserving of recognition. Over the years many individuals and groups have received an award including theatre groups, gardening projects, groups supporting disabled people, LGBT+ projects, projects on HIV and sexual health, older people’s
projects and young people and youth projects, to name but a few. The organisation make two awards each year. One of those is the Adiaha Antigha Community Achievement Award. Held each year to celebrate the work, impact and diversity of Hackney’s voluntary and community sector. They are held in memory of the founder and former director of Hackney CVS – Adiaha Antigha - who made a huge contribution to our organisation’s success and to the local voluntary and community sector.
HONOUR
Kevin Brazant, a freelance youth worker, who won the award for supporting young black men at the event’s 20th anniversary said: “I am feeling a real sense of achievement and pride. It is a real honour and privilege to carry Adiaha’s name knowing what
Sistah Space
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.
CELEBRATE
KEY: Gary Francis a powerful figure she was in the community.” The second award is the Gary Francis Young Achiever Award held each year to recognise local young people who achieve against the odds. Gary was Hackney CVS’ youth programmes manager. Over six years he secured nearly £2m for projects working with disadvantaged young people. He was a key figure in the local community and
Sadly, Gary passed away in 2012 – and CVS have been holding the annual young people’s awards each year since 2012 to remember his achievements and to recognise and celebrate some amazing local young people. The following comment from Janette Collins, manager of The Crib Youth Project, sums up the value of his Gary’s work and why the awards are so valued: “I would like everyone to take a leaf out of Gary’s book and carry on the fight to encourage those that are disengaged from society to reach for the stars.
AWARDS This year’s awards night was held at Hackney Town Hall and the winners were: Best outreach work to engage new people: Sadie Alleyne, Shoreditch Trust Best work to challenge discrimination: Parity project, ELBA, Best work bringing communities together and working across different communities in Hackney: Faisal Pirbhai, Apex Learning Hub Best work to empower disabled people: Laura Prikken, Shoreditch Trust The Gary Francis young achievers were: Daniel Ocitti, Mona Ait Jakane, Jade Walcott, Kyarna Morris, Montell Pemberton, Shenique Bass, David Smith. Visit: www.hcvs.org.uk t: 020 7923 1962 e: reception@hcvs.org.uk
WORKING FOR A FAIRER HACKNEY Our mission is to >
Tackle inequality & drive social change We support Hackney’s voluntary & community organisations RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT DOMESTIC ABUSE IN THE AFRICAN AND CARIBBEAN HERITAGE COMMUNITY.
We stand for EQUALITY, INCLUSION and DIVERSITY
After the vicious murder of Valerie Forde and her toddler daughter by her ex-partner in 2014. Sistah Space has responded to the need to establish a specialist organisation for women and girls of African heritage affected by DV and other forms of abuse.
www.hcvs.org.uk t: 020 7923 1962 reception@hcvs.org.uk
HOW CAN YOU HELP? We constantly need donations of new
Registered charity, number 1069736
Email: sistahspace1@gmail.com Twitter: SistahSpace@sistah_space
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