London: Jesuit Refugee Services wins Community Award

l-r: Ann Stirling (JRS UK), Liliane Djoukouo (Day Centre Officer, JRS UK), Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE (The Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London)

Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) was one of 40 projects that received a special award from the Faith & Belief Forum, at a ceremony at the Royal Society of Medicine on Tuesday. The Faith & Belief Forum, is a leading interfaith and community relations organisation, supported by Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant of Greater London's Council on Faith. The Awards aim to shine a light "on the great work done by ordinary people to make London a city where everyone belongs and feels welcome work that often goes unrecognised."

The awards were given to 40 projects run by individuals and organisations, inspired by their faiths or beliefs to make a difference - working in areas ranging from inspiring youth and wellbeing to interfaith relations and inclusion.

With the Hurtado Jesuit Centre in Wapping as its base, JRS UK provides a weekly Day Centre for 120 plus regular attendees as well as a safe place to welcome and support 200 destitute asylum seekers each month; alongside a Day Centre 'plus' programme of creative self-expression, stress management and peer support sessions has been created.

Welcoming the award, Liliane Djoukouo from JRS said: "We would like to thank the Faith & Belief Forum for presenting us with this award. The refugees we accompany are some of the most marginalised individuals in our society and are often met with a deep hostility. Through our Weekly Day Centre and various activities we aim to break down this isolation and help our refugee friends build resilience and community."

Phil Champain, Director of the Faith & Belief Forum said: "If we are to truly extend the benefits of our city to all, then we need to ensure that all Londoners get fair access to services, we need to alleviate deprivation, reduce social tension and promote inclusion. The fact that so many relatively small and modest organisations made up of people of different faiths and non-religious beliefs collaborate to achieve these aims gives hope and inspiration."

Dr David Dangoor DL, Chair of Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London's Council on Faith said: "The London Faith & Belief Community Awards is a wonderful demonstration of what people motivated by their faith or belief can achieve for this city. By shining a light on their work, this event promotes and connects the unsung heroes of London's faith and belief communities. This event also gives them access to further support which may enhance their work and inspire others to take action."

In addition to the 40 projects given awards, the achievements of several inspiring individuals were recognised, and the great work of a further 60+ projects highlighted.

LINKS

Jesuit Refugee Services - www.jrsuk.net
Faith and belief Forum (formerly the Three Faiths Forum) - https://faithbeliefforum.org

Full list of award winners:

Creative arts and media

MUJU, Brent: www.muju.org.uk

Health and Wellbeing

Age UK, Hounslow: www.ageuk.org.uk/hounslow
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, Brent: http://londonmandir.baps.org/
British Sikh Nurses: www.sikhnurses.co.uk
Christmas Lunch on Jesus Project, Jesus House, Barnet: www.christmaslunchonjesus.com
Embracing Age, Richmond upon Thames: www.embracingage.org.uk
Faith to Faithless, Islington: www.facebook.com/faithtofaithless/
Jesuit Refugee Service UK, Tower Hamlets: www.jrsuk.net/
Muslim Women Merton, Merton: https://muslimwomenmerton.com/
MySpace Project, Southwark Diocesan Welcare: https://welcare.org/our-services/services/myspace/
ROBES Winter Night Shelter, Southwark: http://robes.org.uk/
The Delicate Mind, Tower Hamlets: www.facebook.com/TheDelicateMindNaazukZein/

Inspiring Youth

Anti-Tribalism Movement, Hammersmith and Fulham: www.theatm.org
Ebony Horse Club, Lambeth: www.ebonyhorseclub.org
Jubilee Sailing Trust, London-wide: http://jst.org.uk/seachange/
Kennington Spear, Lambeth: www.resurgo.org.uk/venue/kennington/
Mentorwise, Haringey: www.mentorwise.org.uk
Pray4Youth UK, Hackney:
www.facebook.com/groups/1520127794950452/about/
The Acts of Random Kindness project, Westminster, King's College London: www.facebook.com/groups/TheARKProject/

Interfaith Relations

Lewisham Churches Asylum Seekers Foodbank, Lewisham: www.lewcas.org.uk/
Mitzvah Day, Camden: www.mitzvahday.org.uk
Muslim Jewish Forum of Stamford Hill, Hackney
Redbridge Faith Forum, Redbridge: http://redbridgefaithforum.org/
St John's Waterloo - Faith for the Climate Network, Southwark: www.stjohnswaterloo.org/page/1728/clean-air-climate

Improving access to services

All People All Places (APAP), Enfield: www.allpeopleallplaces.org
East Greenwich Legal Advice Clinic, Greenwich: www.eglac.org.uk
Laamiga Women's Training and Mentoring, Camden: www.laamiga.org
St Margaret's Church, Lee â€" The ESOL and Friendship Project, Lewisham: www.stmargaretslee.org.uk
The Harold Hill Foodbank, Havering: https://haroldhill.foodbank.org.uk/

Peace and reconciliation

Kagyu Samye Dzong London, Bermondsey, Southwark: www.london.samye.org/
SAAFI community, Brent: www.saafi.org.u
Southwark Peace Garden, Southwark

Promoting inclusion

Abraham's Tent Project at South London Liberal Synagogue, Lambeth, www.southlondon.org/abrahams-tent-project/
Brent Action for Refugees, Brent:www.facebook.com/BrentAction4Refugees/
New Roots Tower Hamlets, Tower Hamlets: www.elatt.org.uk/new-roots
Ethnic Minorities Advocacy Group, Richmond Upon Thames: www.emaguk.org
House of Rainbow CIC, Waltham Forest: www.houseofrainbow.org
Lama's Pyjamas Charity Shop for the London Buddhist Centre, Tower Hamlets: www.lamaspyjamas.com
Mother and Child Welfare Organisation, Hammersmith and Fulham: www.macwo.org
Muslimaat London, Tower Hamlets
Regenerate UK and it's Feel Good Bakery, Wandsworth:www.regenerateuk.co.uk/
Silvernet at Harmony House Dagenham CIC, Barking and Dagenham: www.harmonyhousedagenham.org.uk