The amazing work of community heroes within Redbridge was put into the spotlight at an awards ceremony.
Redbridge Town Hall played host to the Mayor's Community Awards on March 12, which celebrated the efforts of 24 outstanding people in the borough.
The night was divided into two sections, starting with The Recorder and Redbridge Rotary Club's Young Citizen Award.
It recognises the outstanding achievements of young people in the borough aged 25 and under.
The awards were presented by Peter McCafferty, from Redbridge Rotary, and Ilford Recorder reporter Olivia Carter.
Olivia said: "We take great pride in getting to speak with the younger generations and hearing of the positive impact they are having in their community.
"All nominees have displayed true promise with amazing values and we are sure they will go on to do great things."
It was 16-year-old Nahian Joyeta that won the Young Citizen Award for 2024, with 18-year-old Abigail Saltman named as runner-up.
Nahian goes to the Urusline Academy and was nominated for her "inspiring" contributions to her school and community.
She has overcome adversity at home, including her family being evicted, to flourish at school.
The 16-year-old has excelled in the school’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programme, her school said, and was a member of the team which won the Design Future London Challenge for 2023.
Nahian has mentored other girls in the Stemettes mentoring programme for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
She has also organised an awareness campaign for Islamophobia Awareness Month, that was supported by the school.
Outside of education, Nahian is a member of the Redbridge Youth Council and is also a child-friendly Redbridge ambassador.
Nahian is working closely with aid organisation Unicef and police to make the area a more friendly place for young people, with a focus around vaping.
Reacting to her award, Nahian said: "I was very pleasantly surprised that I had won the Young Citizen Award as I truly feel that everyone there was truly deserving of the award.
"It was amazing getting to know about everyone and their nominations. I loved how we all have the same passion of making Redbridge a better and safer place."
Abigail was recognised for her volunteering work at Jewish Care's day centres and she also jumped out of a plane at 10,000 feet to raise money for the charity's planned development in the borough.
Other nominees were Tiago Piccaro, three, who carried out litter-picks with mum Elisa and teenager Nate Harding, who has spent years volunteering in the borough including as a youth leader at Woodford Green Athletics Club with Essex Ladies.
The Mayor's Community Awards followed and were announced by Weininger Irwin, the first champion of Gladiators in 1992.
READ MORE: South Woodford 'litter-picking hero', 3, up for award
Mayor Jyotsna Islam, who presented the accolades, said she felt "privileged" to be at the awards.
She said: "I've come across some lovely, wonderful, amazing people. If I wasn't mayor, as a councillor I wouldn't have been able to."
Sixteen inspirational people were presented with community awards by the mayor, including Sonia Lard.
Sonia, a development officer for Redbridge Public Health and Wellbeing, was recognised for her work helping distribute surplus food and the community project she runs.
Her work began at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic where she used her contacts as an events planner to distribute surplus food to those in need.
She said: “It was all through Covid. I felt like supporting and working with different charities but more so supporting those that needed help and they helped me as well.
"It was just a really hard time for everyone. It kept me sane to be honest."
The project initially focused on the Loughton area but has now reached foodbanks and charities from Tower Hamlets to Waltham Abbey.
READ MORE: Ilford teen from Ursuline Academy in Young Citizen Award nod
Sonia has also set up local cafes - The Loxford Community Cafe and Hainault Community Cafe - to provide support to people suffering from social isolation and loneliness.
Sonia said: “I’m just really grateful to have received the award and I’m really grateful that we had an opportunity and a platform to be able to talk about the projects that we do.
"For me, it's an opportunity to be able to highlight the projects and highlight the charity as well, more so the projects that we’re doing so we can actually get the extra support.
"Hopefully there’s businesses and other people that would like to get involved."
Most recently, Sonia has set up the Perfect Mix project which supports asylum seekers and refugees.
Those in need are able to attend the project, cook and eat with others and can event take the home cooked meals back for their children.
The full list of Mayor's Community Award winners:
Anisa Shoaib
Ash Khan
Cherril Hutchinson & Raquel Crezomartin
Christian Education Project
Diliniya Stanislaus Sureshkumar
Faheem Khan
Glen Haywood
Haydn Powell
Michelle Bucan
Sue Bass
PCSO Audrey Adebiyi
Rayla Begum
Sonia Lard
Steve Collins
Tea & Company (Sharon Daughter)
Mayor's Special Awards:
Maria Sanchez
Honey Kalaria
Suresh Kumar
Eliyah Qureshi
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