The Spirit of London Awards is a awards ceremony that bestowes awards to exceptional young people for their talent across London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 and the UK, in the Arts

ARts

aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....

, Media

Media

Media may refer to:- Communications :* Media , tools used to store and deliver information or data** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising...

, Sport

Sport

A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...

 and Education

Education

Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...

. The project was created by the Damilola Taylor Trust

Damilola Taylor

Damilola Taylor was a ten-year-old Nigerian schoolboy who died in the United Kingdom. Several young boys were cleared of murder charges after a lengthy trial, and later two brothers were convicted of manslaughter....

 in 2009 as a way of addressing the imbalance in the way young people are portrayed by the national media in general. The long term objective is that the awards will become a standard that all young people will aspire to be involved with and gain recognition through.

It now has a host of celebrity supporters and judges such as David Cameron

David Cameron

David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....

 PM, Frank Warren

Frank Warren

Frank Warren may refer to:* Frank Warren , played for the New Orleans Saints* Frank Warren , English boxing manager and promoter* Francis E. Warren , American politician, U.S...

, Leona Lewis

Leona Lewis

Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....

, Brooke Kinsella

Brooke Kinsella

Brooke Kinsella, MBE is an English actress and author. A graduate of the Anna Scher Theatre School, Kinsella has been acting since childhood. She has had various roles on television and in film...

, Noel Clarke

Noel Clarke

Noel Anthony Clarke is an English actor, director and screenwriter from London. He is best known for playing Wyman Norris in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and Mickey Smith in Doctor Who...

, Diversity

Diversity (dance troupe)

Diversity are an English street dance troupe based in London. They are best known for winning the third series of Britain's Got Talent, famously beating Susan Boyle in the live final. They also won the Families United Positive Role Models at the Spirit of London Awards. The group, initially known...

, Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...

 and Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand

Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...

. It is supported by Barclay's Bank, The Sun, Team Olympics and Kiss 100 and many other organisations and companies.

The first Spirit of London Awards was held on 27 November 2009, at the Alexander Palace

Alexander Palace

The Alexander Palace is a former imperial residence at Tsarskoye Selo, on a plateau around 30 minutes by train from St Petersburg. It is known as the favourite residence of the last Russian Emperor, Nicholas II, and his family and their initial place of imprisonment after the revolution that...

 in London. The most recent awards took place 27 November 2010, at the 02

The O2 (London)

The O2, visually typeset in branding as The O2, is a large entertainment district on the Greenwich peninsula in South East London, England, including an indoor arena, a music club, a Cineworld cinema, an exhibition space, piazzas, bars and restaurants...

 Indigo in London. The next awards is to take place on the 10th October, 2011, at the Royal Albert Hall

Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....

.

Award categories

Each catorgory has three nominees shortlisted. (Sometimes one more is added in special circumstances).

Community Champions Award - Young people who strive through their endeavours and positive actions to make their mark on their local community.

London Legend Award - The award goes to the iconic Londoner who young people feel deserves recognition for their role in promoting London positiviely on the world stage.

Young Heroes Award (Mayor's Order of Merit) - An award for special kids whose special deeds have made a difference to their local community.

Achievement Through Sport Award - For young people who either excel themselves against the odds or who use sport to help others in the community.

Achievement Through Music Award - Young people who use their ability with music to progress in life or to brighten up the lives of others in their communities.

Community Business Entrepreneur Award - This award is for a young person or group of young people who light their local community with their enterprise through business.

Achievement Through Education Award - An important award category and one which will be awarded not necessarily to an individual but perhaps to a class of young people who have excelled together and brightened up their local community in doing so.

Achievement Through The Arts Award - An awards category for those that make their mark creatively in the arts world - film, television, theatre, literature and then light up the world for others in doing so.

Special Recognition Award - This award is made for outstanding contribution to charity campaigning.

Nominations

Step One

The Spirit of London Foundation uses Its extensive network with media groups and companies which casts a wide net of opportunites and select young people that network.

Also people are allowed to nominate someone they feel worthy of claiming an award. In 2010 over 3500 nominations were sent in.

Everyone nominated must be under 25.

Step Two

The nominee's are researched by several admin teams which is then passed through to Excutive Management who then shorten the list to 25 indivuals or organsations.

Step Three

Once the short list is created in each of the categories, the three members of each category judging panel will sit in judgment to determine the winners.

Once Short listed

Once short listed the young person will be contacted confirming they have been short listed for awards and will be asked to attend a pre-awards party at 10 Downing Street

10 Downing Street

10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....

 with the Prime Minister

Prime minister

A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...

 and other celebrities. This gives the opportunity for the young people to meet each other and the judges before the awards, but more so make contacts which could further their career.

The young people will then be limo driven to the awards ceremony where the big night begins.

2009 Awards

The night began with a champagne reception hosted by award-winning charity campaigners Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor may refer to:*Richard Taylor , father of U.S. president Zachary Taylor*Richard Taylor , British general*Richard Taylor , son of U.S...

 of the Damilola Taylor Trust, and Camila Batmanghelidjh

Camila Batmanghelidjh

Camila Batmanghelidjh is a British businesswoman, charity leader and author of Iranian and Belgian origin. She has been living in England since the age of 11 and founded two charities - the place2b and Kids Company where she and her team care for 14,000 vulnerable children and young people in London...

 of Kids Company at the Alexander Palace in London.

In attendance were distinguished celebrities such as Sir Michael Caine, JLS

JLS

- Music :* JLS, an English boyband** JLS , debut album by JLS* JLS a Spanish Rock band based in Zaragoza , Spain formed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by lead Leo Susana.- Organizations :...

, Tasha Danvers

Tasha Danvers

Tasha De'Anka Danvers is a British Olympic bronze medallist, who finished in third place in the 400m Hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics...

, and Tamar Hassan; the majority of the Mayors from the 33 London Boroughs; senior executives from various sponsors; notable government officials, and of cause, the stars of the night, the nominees. It was described as the most "eclectic of gatherings" by one of the many, television film crews recording the unique moment.

Then came the show, hosted by Brooke Kinsella and Lemar

Lemar

Lemar Obika , professionally known simply as Lemar, is an English recording artist. Obika has had a run of chart success in the UK, Europe and Australia...

. The lucky attendees were dazzled by performances from Alexandra Burke

Alexandra Burke

Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke is a British R&B and pop recording artist who rose to fame after winning the fifth series of British television series The X Factor in 2008...

, DJ Ironik

DJ Ironik

James Christian Charters , better known as Ironik, is a British musician, DJ and rapper. His genre of music varies from R&B, grime and hip hop....

, and Diversity to name but a few.

But the outstanding contributions made on the night came from the award-winners themselves, who showed grace and humility in praising, first and foremost, and without any prompting, their fellow nominees in their acceptance speeches. A truly touching moment at the awards.

Class of 2009

Daniel De Gale - Won the Special Regonition Award.

Nathan Storey - Won the Young Heroes Award.

The Silvester Cousins - Shortlisted Young Heroes Award.

Thomas Robertson - Shortlisted Young Heroes Award.

Steve Jones - Shortlisted Young Heroes Award.

Dean Atta - Won the Achievement Through the Arts Award.

Islington Youth Theatre - Shortlisted Achievement Through the Arts Award.

SuperArts Dancers - Shortlisted Achievement Through the Arts Award.

Ebonie Reid-Barlow - Won the Achievement Through Education Award.

Tommy Williams - Shortlisted Achievement Through Education Award.

Michael Adewale - Shortlisted Achievement Through Education Award.

Kolor Skeme - Won the Community Business Entrepeneur Award.

MBG Funhouse - Shortlisted Community Business Entrepeneur Award.

The Cordless Show Team - Shortlisted Community Business Entrepeneur Award.
The Respect Team - Won the Community Champions Award.

Ascension Eagles Senior Coed Team - Shortlisted Community Champions Award.

Burntwood School

Burntwood School

Burntwood School is a secondary school for girls aged 11–18, located in Wandsworth, London, England. The school was opened in September, 1986, and is a foundation school. The first headmistress of the school was Brigid Beattie-Moriarty - known to the pupils as Mrs Beattie. For the 2008–09 school...

 Envison Team - Shortlisted Community Champions Award.

Mariama Samba - Won the Achievement Through Music Award.

Frances Davies - Shortlisted Achievement Through Music Award.

Matthew Haynes - Shortlisted Achievement Through Music Award.

Liam O'Brien (aka Ritz) - Shortlisted Achievement Through Music Award.

Marlon Mellish - Won the Achievement Through Sport Award.

Sean Safo - Shortlisted Achievement Through Sport Award.

Jack Booth - Shortlisted Achievement Through Sport Award.

Sir Michael Caine - Won the London Legend Award.

Judging Panel 2009

Alan Johnson

Alan Johnson

Alan Arthur Johnson is a British Labour Party politician who served as Home Secretary from June 2009 to May 2010. Before that, he filled a wide variety of cabinet positions in both the Blair and Brown governments, including Health Secretary and Education Secretary. Until 20 January 2011 he was...

, Chris Grayling

Chris Grayling

Christopher Stephen "Chris" Grayling, PC, MP , is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Shadow Cabinet from 2005 to 2010 and was the party's Shadow Home Secretary from 2009 to 2010. Following the 2010 general election, he was appointed a Minister of State in the...

, Leona Lewis

Leona Lewis

Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....

, Tim Campbell

Tim Campbell

Tim Campbell is an Australian television and stage actor, best known for playing the character of Dan Baker in the soap opera Home and Away.-Television:...

, James Cleverly

James Cleverly

James Spencer Cleverly is Leader of the Conservative group on the London Assembly, the Chairman of the London Waste and Recycling Board and until February 2010 was the Mayor of London's Ambassador for Youth. He was elected for the Bexley and Bromley constituency in May 2008 as a candidate of the...

, Shaun Bailey

Shaun Bailey

Shaun Bailey is a British Afro-Caribbean youth worker. He stood for the London constituency of Hammersmithas a Conservative at the 2010 general election.-Early life:...

, Daley Thompson

Daley Thompson

Francis Morgan Ayodélé "Daley" Thompson CBE , is a former decathlete from England. He won the decathlon gold medal at the Olympic Games in 1980 and 1984, and broke the world record for the event four times....

 CBE, Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand

Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...

, Camila Batmanghelidjh

Camila Batmanghelidjh

Camila Batmanghelidjh is a British businesswoman, charity leader and author of Iranian and Belgian origin. She has been living in England since the age of 11 and founded two charities - the place2b and Kids Company where she and her team care for 14,000 vulnerable children and young people in London...

, Vernon Coaker

Vernon Coaker

Vernon Rodney Coaker is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Gedling since 1997; Coaker was appointed Minister of State for Schools and Learners in June 2009, a post he held until Gordon Brown resigned as Prime Minister on 11 May 2010...

, Jason Leonard

Jason Leonard

Jason Leonard OBE , also known as "The Fun Bus", is an English former rugby union prop forward who held the world record for winning the most international caps until 2005, when it was surpassed by Australia's scrum-half George Gregan...

 OBE, Frank Warren

Frank Warren

Frank Warren may refer to:* Frank Warren , played for the New Orleans Saints* Frank Warren , English boxing manager and promoter* Francis E. Warren , American politician, U.S...

, Tasha Danvers

Tasha Danvers

Tasha De'Anka Danvers is a British Olympic bronze medallist, who finished in third place in the 400m Hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics...

, Ray Burdis

Ray Burdis

Ray Burdis is an English actor, screenwriter, director and film producer.Burdis started acting at eleven years old when he trained at the Anna Scher Theatre in Islington...

, Brooke Kinsella

Brooke Kinsella

Brooke Kinsella, MBE is an English actress and author. A graduate of the Anna Scher Theatre School, Kinsella has been acting since childhood. She has had various roles on television and in film...

, Ali Bastian

Ali Bastian

Alexandra Louise "Ali" Bastian is an English television actress, best known for playing Becca Dean in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2001 to 2007, and PC Sally Armstrong in long-running ITV drama series The Bill from 2007 to 2009.-Biography:Born in Windsor, Berkshire, to Paula C. Marriott...

, Niomi Mclean-Daley (AKA Ms Dynamite), Chris Nathaniel

Chris Nathaniel

Chris Nathaniel is a young Black British sports and entertainment agent and entrepreneur. He is currently the CEO of NVA Holdings...

, Richard Blackwood

Richard Blackwood

Richard Blackwood , is an English comedian, media personality, occasional actor and MC. Blackwood is step-brother of Naomi Campbell after his father was married to her mother for a time...

, Idris Elba

Idris Elba

Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba is a British television, theatre, and film actor. He has starred in both British and American productions. Elba grew up in Canning Town, East London. One of his first acting roles was in the soap opera Family Affairs. He has worked in a variety of TV roles including ...

, Christine Ohoruogu.

2010 Awards

27 November 2010. This year's amazing event was at the IndigO2 in Greenwich, and was hosted by Tamar Hussan (Clash of the Titans) and Tasha Danvers

Tasha Danvers

Tasha De'Anka Danvers is a British Olympic bronze medallist, who finished in third place in the 400m Hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics...

 (Olympic bronze medallist in 400m hurdles).

The supporting cast included such acts as Toploader

Toploader

Toploader are an English band from Eastbourne who formed in 1997, with over two million album sales to their name and a string of top 20 hits both home and abroad. Their debut album, Onka's Big Moka, sold over 1 million units and remained in the Top 5 of the UK album chart for over six months...

, Roll Deep

Roll Deep

Roll Deep are an Urban Music Awards-winning London-based grime music collective. They were founded in 2002, by a group of MCs including Wiley. Roll Deep were also closely associated with Boy Better Know with members in both. Their debut album, In at the Deep End, was released in June 2005...

, Labrinth, Robbie Craig, Diversity, Alexandra Burke, and many more, whom of which we'd like to thank for taking time out to showcase their incredible talent. However, the real stars of the night were the Class of 2010!

Class of 2010

Vanessa Sanyauke (Rafiki Network) - Won Community Champions Award.

Nutmeg - Shortlisted Community Champions Award.

Bigga Fish Street Team - Shortlisted Community Champions Award.

Prendergast Ladywellfields College - Won Young Heroes Award.

Supakids - Shortlisted Young Heroes Award.

Joshua Sukama - Shortlisted Young Heroes Award.

Jessica Elliott (Dancing After School) - Won Communinity Business Entrepreneur Award.

Omar Choudhry - Shortlisted Communinity Business Entrepreneur Award.

Sabirul Islam Shortlisted Communinity Business Entrepreneur Award.

Hayley Rae - Won Achievement Through The Arts Award.

Big Deal Youth Arts Company - Shortlisted Achievement Through The Arts Award.

Alice Moore - Shortlisted Achievement Through The Arts Award.

Camara Fearon - Won Achievement Through Music Award.

Clarence 'Poetic Preacher' Jackson - Shortlisted Achievement Through Music Award.

SwiftKnight - Shortlisted Achievement Through Music Award.

Robert Hughes - Won Achievement Through Sport Award.

Ryan Jones - Shortlisted Achievement Through Sport Award.

Chloe Spiteri - Shortlisted Achievement Through Sport Award.

Bobby Kensah - Won Achievement Through Education Award.

Nathan Ghann - Shortlisted Achievement Through Education Award.

Jesse Andrews & Jessie Brock - Shortlisted Achievement Through Education Award.

Dennis Gyamfi (Endz2Endz) - Won Achievement Through Media Award.

The Exposure Team - Shortlisted Achievement Through Media Award.

Raphael Oyelade - Shortlisted Achievement Through Media Award.

Barbara Windsor

Barbara Windsor

Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....

- Won London Legend Award.

Judging Panel 2010

Camila Batmanghelidjh

Camila Batmanghelidjh

Camila Batmanghelidjh is a British businesswoman, charity leader and author of Iranian and Belgian origin. She has been living in England since the age of 11 and founded two charities - the place2b and Kids Company where she and her team care for 14,000 vulnerable children and young people in London...

, Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor may refer to:*Richard Taylor , father of U.S. president Zachary Taylor*Richard Taylor , British general*Richard Taylor , son of U.S...

, Oona King

Oona King

Oona Tamsyn King, Baroness King of Bow is a Baroness and Member of the House of Lords, and former Chief Diversity Officer of Channel 4. She previously had served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow from 1997 until 2005, when she was defeated by Respect candidate George...

, Theresa May

Theresa May

Theresa Mary May is a British Conservative politician who is Home Secretary in the Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition government. She was elected to Parliament in 1997 as the Member of Parliament for Maidenhead, and served as the Chairman of the Conservative Party, 2003–04...

, Alan Johnstone, Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand

Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...

, Theo Paphitis

Theo Paphitis

Theodorus "Theo" Paphitis is a retail magnate and British entrepreneur of Greek Cypriot origin. He made the majority of his fortune in the retail sector, and is best known to the general public for his appearances on the BBC business programme Dragons' Den and as former chairman of Millwall...

, Ashley Cole

Ashley Cole

Ashley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....

, David Haye

David Haye

David Deron Haye is a retired English professional boxer,Haye is the former WBA heavyweight champion. He is also the former unified world cruiserweight champion, holding the WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring cruiserweight titles, and also the former European cruiserweight champion.- Amateur :Haye...

, Christine Ohuruogu

Christine Ohuruogu

Christine Ijeoma Ohuruogu MBE is an English athlete, who specialises in the 400 metres; the event for which she is the current Olympic and former World and Commonwealth Champion...

 MBE, Frank Maloney

Frank Maloney

Frank Maloney is a boxing manager and promoter and United Kingdom Independence Party politician. He is most famous for managing Lennox Lewis to the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship of the World.-Early life:...

, Leona Lewis

Leona Lewis

Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....

, Bashy

Bashy

Ashley Thomas , better known by his stage name Bashy, is an English recording artist and actor. He rose to prominence in 2007 after the release of his controversial track "Black Boys".-Early life:...

, Ashley Walters, Tasha Danvers

Tasha Danvers

Tasha De'Anka Danvers is a British Olympic bronze medallist, who finished in third place in the 400m Hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics...

, Brooke Kinsella

Brooke Kinsella

Brooke Kinsella, MBE is an English actress and author. A graduate of the Anna Scher Theatre School, Kinsella has been acting since childhood. She has had various roles on television and in film...

, Simon Hughes

Simon Hughes

Simon Henry Ward Hughes is a British politician and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He is Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark. Until 2008 he was President of the Liberal Democrats...

, Dominic Mohan

Dominic Mohan

Dominic Mohan is a British journalist and newspaper editor.He is the Editor of The Sun newspaper in London. He joined The Sun in 1996 working on the "Bizarre" column...

, Shaun Bailey

Shaun Bailey

Shaun Bailey is a British Afro-Caribbean youth worker. He stood for the London constituency of Hammersmithas a Conservative at the 2010 general election.-Early life:...

, Tim Campbell

Tim Campbell

Tim Campbell is an Australian television and stage actor, best known for playing the character of Dan Baker in the soap opera Home and Away.-Television:...

, Chris Grayling

Chris Grayling

Christopher Stephen "Chris" Grayling, PC, MP , is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Shadow Cabinet from 2005 to 2010 and was the party's Shadow Home Secretary from 2009 to 2010. Following the 2010 general election, he was appointed a Minister of State in the...

, Frank Warren

Frank Warren

Frank Warren may refer to:* Frank Warren , played for the New Orleans Saints* Frank Warren , English boxing manager and promoter* Francis E. Warren , American politician, U.S...

, Javed KhanBarry & Margaret Mizen, Wayne and Mete, Dickson Etuhu

Dickson Etuhu

Dickson Paul Etuhu is a Nigerian footballer who plays for Fulham in the Premier League. His younger brother Kelvin is also a footballer...

, Alexander Rose

Alexander Rose

Alexander Rose of Edinburgh was a wood and ivory turner, following in the footsteps of his father, John, who came from Cromarty. He developed an interest in minerals and began a mineral collection, becoming a dealer in minerals...

, Levi David Addai, Emerson King, AJ.