Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, praised community volunteers at the London Peace Awards for their contributions to safety and well-being. He honored individuals and organizations that promote peace, cohesion, and positive youth development. Award winners included organizations focused on gang intervention, youth mentoring, interfaith cooperation, and reducing knife crime. The London Week of Peace celebrates its tenth anniversary of organizing events to increase community cohesion and awareness.

1. news release
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GLA/2010/377
Wednesday 22nd September 2010 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Boris Johnson praises community champions at London Peace Awards
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, this evening praised the brave and selfless Londoners
who volunteer their time, skills or expertise to contribute to the safety and well-being of their
community.
Speaking at the London Peace Awards, which were held at City Hall to mark the London
Week of Peace (19th – 26th September), the Mayor honored Londoners of all ages, cultures
and backgrounds who have demonstrated a commitment to creating peace, cohesion and
positivity in the capital. The awards mirror Boris Johnson’s strong commitment to promoting
volunteering across the capital and raising the aspirations of young people.
The Mayor presented the Londoner’s Peace Award (the Mayor’s Award) – for the
individual who has made the most outstanding contribution to their community - to Patrick
Regan, founder of XLP, an inspirational organization which engages with gang members,
police and politicians to fight poverty, support education and serve hundreds of young
people.
The winners of the other awards are as follows:
 Community Safety Award: Decima Francis founded ‘From
Boyhood to Manhood Day Support Programme’ – a project
which has been delivered to over 20,000 young people who
were either excluded or at risk of being excluded from school
and society at large.
 Diversity Award: Michael Kosmas founded the NXG project –
which now reaches up to 5,000 young people - to mentor
young people of diverse cultural backgrounds.
 Bridge Builders Award: Wilson Chowdhry founded the
Redbridge Neighbourhood Watch Association and solves
community anti-social behavior by acting as an interface
between communities, ASBO and Police Teams in Redbridge.
 The Young Persons Award: Darwin Bernadrdo founded
NUTMEG, a community based organization helping young
people to realize their potential through numerous events
which engage hundreds of young people.
 Developing Real Examples and Mentors (DREAM)
Award: Nilesh Badiani - a key player of Sai School of Harrow,
a free weekend institution for children and young people from
ethnic communities which promotes human values.
 Volunteer Award: Kay Oldroyd founded Black Youth
Achievement CIC in 2008, which promotes the positive

2. aspects of young black people and hosted the first ever Black
Youth Achievement Awards in November of 2009.
 Community Engagement Award: Michael Smith is an
inspirational man who has been an immense catalyst for
change in the community. His work Word 4 Weapons is a
Christian based organization which involves putting knife bins
in key places where people turn in their weapons. To date
almost 800 knives have been binned.
 Parents Peace Award: Mimi Asher. Having started a project
in her home, Mimi now uses a community hall to persuade
people involved in gang culture in the estate to realign their life
choices.
 Turnaround Peace Award: Chris Syrus is an ex-offender,
poet and writer who mentors young offenders and young
people in care.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said:
‘In altruistic spirit, the Peace Awards celebrate the achievements of those who generously
give their time and talent to making London a more harmonious and happy city. The
initiatives which are championed by the Week of Peace help cut crime, build bridges
between different faiths and cultivate a feeling of solidarity. I am proud to be involved in this
exemplary event and I thoroughly recommend all Londoner’s get involved in the voluntary
work it inspires.’
Rev. Nims Obunge MBE DL, Chief Executive of Peace Alliance, said:
‘In times of economic hardship, it is ever so important that we encourage and celebrate
those who give themselves selflessly to create a better society. We all have something no
matter how small that we can give back to improve where we live, work or play.’
The London Week of Peace and the Peace Awards marked their tenth anniversary this year.
The London Week of Peace, which began in Haringey in 2001 and has grown to incorporate
all 33 London boroughs, was set up by the Peace Alliance with the aim of organizing
initiatives which increase community cohesion, reduce crime and raise awareness of
community safety issues. The GLA provides funding for three key events across the week:
the Peace Awards Ceremony, the Peace Debate/Multi-Faith Forum and the volunteering
project.
Ends
Notes to editors:
1. The Mayor of London supports the London Peace Awards, the Peace Debate
and the Giving Back Volunteering Project which are all part of the London
Week of Peace. For more information on Week of Peace visit
www.weekofpeace.org.uk.
2. The Mayor is championing volunteering in the capital – visit
www.london.gov.uk/get-involved/volunteering for more information.

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