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STARS ARE GIVEN SPECIAL AWARDS

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14 March 2008

VOLUNTEERS RECOGNISED AT EVENT

The Southwark Star Awards event took place last Friday, to honour people who had devoted close to 20,000 hours of their own time in the last year to aid others or to fight causes in the borough.

The Hilton at Tower Bridge hosted the night, where 64 nominees were vying for six awards handed out.

The winner of the overall Active Citizen of the Year Award was Eileen Conn (pictured), a tireless community worker who has been in a variety of activities since 1975. She told the 'News': "I had not even thought about winning, and felt slightly embarrassed but I have to say I feel very privileged.

“The thing that is most rewarding is when people contact you out of the blue and ask, 'Can we join your list so we can keep in touch with things going on?', or ask you how they can handle the issue they have come up against.

"That is what I wanted to do, to set up a network so residents can work with each other and then can go forward to discuss issues with people in authority."

Ms Conn also picked up the Keib Thomas award for community activism, something she said she was particularly proud of, as she had worked with him in the 1990's when setting up the Volunteer Centre in Southwark.

Elsewhere on the night, Brook Zeramichael picked up the view giver of the year, for his work with the London Civic Forum, and for setting up a group for young refugees in South London, all while going to university and holding down two jobs.

Citizen Governor of the year went to Omar Faruk, which acknowledges the greatest contribution by a school governor, trustee or magistrate over the last twelve months. The final award went to Mackie Bendu, who was named community group member of the year.

Winners

CITIZEN GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR 2008 - Omar Faruk
GOOD NEIGHBOUR OF THE YEAR 2008 - Miles Montier
COMMUNITY GROUP MEMBER OF THE YEAR 2008 - Mackie Bendu
VIEW-GIVER OF THE YEAR 2008 - Brook Zeramichael
KEIB THOMAS AWARD FOR COMMUNITY ACTIVISM 2008 - Eileen Conn
ACTIVE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR 2008 - Eileen Conn

TEEN ALWAYS GOES THAT EXTRA MILE

A fourteen-year-old boy who visits his disabled neighbour every day scooped the 'News' sponsored Neighbour of the Year Award.

Miles Montier, from East Dulwich, started helping his neighbour four and a half years ago, when he was asked to run an errand as a favour. After that he started helping out on a regular basis, before eventually taking it on himself to visit him every day before he goes to school.

Miles said: "I get up at 7am and do a variety of things. Sometimes I just empty some bottles out for him or run down to the shops to get his shopping for him. And on other occasions after school I might pop out and get him his fish and chips."

Miles admitted that he was surprised to win the award, presented by Joing Managing Director of the Southwark News, Kevin Quinn, and was too shy to deliver a speech, even though he was asked to give one.

Miles' mother Marsha Zuniga was clearly delighted with her son. She said: "We didn't expect it but he really deserved it, he worked really hard for the award.

“He is up every morning and gets Mick his papers and milk. If you go and ask the guys at Somerfield on Lordship Lane who is the first person at the door each morning they will say Miles. I am just really, really proud of him."

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Comments (1)

1. At 04:34 PM on 31 Mar 2008, Alan Walshe wrote:
That's an under statment if I ever saw one. Kevin Quinn too shy!!!!!
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