Northern Leaders Trust’s second annual Community Champion Awards was a resounding success, with nine honourable young people from Newcastle schools receiving an award for their exceptional contributions to the Newcastle community.
The dazzling awards ceremony, held on Friday 28th June at Kenton School, brought together nominees, their families and friends and special guests to celebrate these incredible achievements.
The event included inspiring speeches from notable figures such as: Chi Onwurah, Labour Candidate for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West Constituency; Major General David Shaw CBE representing Launchpad Veterans; Dr Thérèse Quincey, chair of the board of Trustees at Northern Leaders Trust; and Jack Lewis, 2023 Community Champion Award winner.
The awards were generously supported by a raft of prominent local companies, including Newcastle Eagles, Vertu Motors, Greggs and many more while media partners, The Evening Chronicle and Schools North East ensured optimal media coverage of the event. Six-year-old Jevindu Senyuth Dissanayake, the Winner of the Fundraiser of the Year award, donated his artwork to local charity Launchpad Veterans.
Reflecting on the event’s success, CEO of Northern Leaders Trust, Lee Kirtley, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the nominees and attendees, stating, “This event is a testament to the incredible contributions of our young people. Their dedication and hard work inspire us all, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.”
“I would like to extend my thanks to the generous sponsors of the evening, without whom tonight would not have been possible.”
The evening’s festivities included musical performances by five talented Kenton School students and delicious food from local catering company.
The award celebrated achievements across eight categories:
- Community Hero Award
- Young Volunteer of the Year Award
- Young Fundraiser of the Year Award
- Eco Ambassador Award
- Act of Kindness Award
- Young Carer Award
- Courage Award
- Special Recognition Award
Each winner received a £150 high-street retail voucher, a £50 book token, an engraved trophy and a certificate.
Dr Thérèse Quincey presented the final award of the evening, the Special Recognition Award, and commented, “It’s exciting to see the success of the Community Champion Awards for a second year and we already look forward to next year. We hope that awareness and nominations will continue to grow. We want it to keep getting bigger and better.”
The night was a true celebration of the spirit and dedication of Newcastle’s young community champions, leaving everyone inspired and looking forward to next year’s event.
You can find out more about the Northern Leaders Trust Community Champion Awards here.
