BATCA Community Awards 2016
Outstanding local volunteers were presented with BATCA Community Awards for exceptional service to the community at a celebration event attended by 200 at Jasmin’s Club, Tooting on Thursday 24th November.
Individual awards were given to Dennis Gallagher, Bernadette Khan, Isabella Larkin, Nasir Mohamud, Ayaaz Niazi, Monique Roseberg, Bobby Singh and Lynn Shannon. Their work includes support for young people at risk in the Somali community, championing BME women’s rights and LGBT rights, helping children behind in reading, relief work for Nepal earthquake victims, helping disabled children in Pakistan, supporting deaf women facing domestic violence, and work benefitting parents of sick children in St George’s Hospital.
Team awards went to Tooting Park Rangers football coaches, Little Village, which helps families in need, the Iman Hussein Blood Donation Campaign team and the Wandsworth Salvation Army. A special award was given to the Renal Team at St George’s Hospital.
The awards were presented by Dr Rosena Allin-Khan MP for Tooting; Councillor Richard Field, Mayor of Wandsworth; Chief Supt Richard Smith, Metropolitan Police Borough Commander; Dan Watkins, Conservative Parliamentary spokesman for Tooting; Councillors Fleur Anderson and Sarah McDermott; Indrajit Patel, Chairman of the Tooting Business Network; and special guest Lord Bird of Notting Hill, founder of the Big Issue.
All praised the contribution of volunteer effort to the life of Balham and Tooting and emphasised the importance of community – in particular Tooting and Balham’s special strengths where diverse communities unite in friendship and support.
Representatives of CARAS (Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers), which received a team award in 2015, and the Iman Hussein Blood Donation Campaign team spoke briefly about their work.
Entertainment was provided by the Great Gustos Community Choir and the dancer Priya Patel. The evening finished with dinner from Dawat Restaurant.
BATCA is grateful for grant support from Wandsworth Borough Council and generous sponsorship from Dawat Restaurant, St Augustine’s and Holy Trinity churches, Tooting and others.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
| Dennis Gallagher
|
LGBT champion and service in the Special Constabulary |
| Bernadette Khan | Founder member of Mushkil Aasaan, which supports BME women’s rights |
| Isabella Larkin | Volunteer at Ronald McDonald House ,Tooting which provides a free place to stay for parents of child in-patients at St George’s Hospital |
| Nasir Mohamud | Supports young people at risk in the Somali community through the Elays Network, using the creative arts |
| Ayaaz Niazi | Past Chairman of Balham Mosque and founder of the Niazi Foundation which supports disabled children in Pakistan |
| Monique Roseberg | Helps children behind with reading through the Beanstalk scheme |
| Bobby Singh | Provided relief supplies and continues to fundraises for victims of the earthquake in Nepal in 2015 |
| Lynn Shannon | Founded and manages Deaf Hope which supports deaf women facing domestic violence |
TEAM AWARDS
| Tooting Park Rangers football coaches | Run Saturday football on Tooting Common for children of all abilities aged 7-14 |
| Little Village | Provides baby equipment, clothes and toys to families in need, passing them on from families that no longer need them |
| Iman Hussain Blood Donation Campaign team | Campaign to encourage blood donors from BME communities. Organise blood donation sessions at St George’s Hospital and give donors practical support. |
| Wandsworth Salvation Army
|
Lunch club for the elderly and drop-in sessions for the homeless, enriching their lives with friendship and practical support |
SPECIAL AWARD
| Renal Team at St George’s Hospital | Outstanding kidney dialysis and kidney transplant service with a community feel |
