Young people’s achievements were marked at our annual award ceremony yesterday evening at Hackney Town Hall.

The Hackney Youth Awards celebrates young people from 6 to 19 (or up to 25 SEND), who have been nominated by youth workers, partner organisations and commissioned providers in the borough.

Nominations were received across 8 categories, which were reviewed and shortlisted by an independent panel of young people who supported organising the event, along with Young Hackney staff and Young Hackney Event Ambassadors. 

More than 250 guests attended the event, including event nominees and their families, which is now in its 9th year running. 

Deputy Mayor Cllr Bramble, and Cllr Shelia Suso-Runge, the Speaker of the Council, attended the evening, along with other senior members of the council. Cllr Bramble  mentioned during her speech: “Whether  you’ve  come  up  here  or  not [for an award], absolutely  well  done.  We  are  proud  of  you,  we  see  you,  we  celebrate  you,  and  we  commend  you.  Grown -ups  get  to  be  my  age  and  older,  and  we  don’t  always  achieve  the  fantastic  things  that  you  have  done  as  young  people.” 

The event was hosted by Martha Newman, one of the Young Speakers of Hackney & Romeo Bremmer, a Hackney Youth Parliament Member, who was also the senior winner of the Inspirational Young Person Award. When asked about the awards, Romeo said:  ”Living and growing up in Hackney, I see so many amazing things that young people are doing and recognising [that] is so important.”

Noah Schwartz, winner of the Young Explorer Award, spoke about about it felt like to win an award:  ” It’s such an incredible opportunity to be able to go on that stage and see something that I did be celebrated (…). I think knowing that our achievements have been seen (…) really makes us feel like we can do more in the future.”

Audience members were treated to a thrilling group dance performance by E-Kidz, who hail from Concorde Youth Hub and a solo singing performance from Makaiya during the night too. 

Special thanks to Life:style Gift Card for supporting the event. 

 

The full list of winners from the 9th Hackney Youth Award.

Positive Choice & Achievement Award: 

Junior Winner: Rushane Raymond

Senior Winner: Sheniyah Riley

Young Explorer Award:

Junior Winner: Yasser Ilyas Saidani 

Senior Winner: Noah Schwartz

Creativity, Innovation & Ambition Award: 

Young Hackney Ending Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG): Young Leaders project

Tamba Ngegba Young Leader Award: 

Chelsey Murphy

Project of the Year Award: 

Leaside Year of Partnerships 2024

Outstanding Volunteer Award:

Junior Winner: Aima Mohamoud

Senior Winner: Serena Kamara

Overcoming Adversity Award:

Junior Winner: Dean Pluck

Senior Winner: Oscar Warr

Inspirational Young Person Award:

Junior Winner: Malu Wilson-Pereira

Senior Winner: Romeo Bremmer