An inspirational female duo from west London have been honoured for their remarkable work in supporting community cohesion.
Jasmine Madhan, 14, of Hounslow, who has a passion for martial arts tied with teaching younger children, was commended as part of the borough's connecting communities programme at the House of Lords on Wednesday (July 15).
In Brent, Melissa Desousa, 20, was awarded for using her language and translation skills to engage other young people who may have felt isolated and missed out on opportunities to connect with peers.
Jasmine, who was one of 12 young people to scoop a trophy at the Connecting Communities Award, said: “It was a huge honour to be at the House of Lords, to accept this award on behalf of Hounslow.
"Connecting Communities is a fantastic initiative that has helped our community take part in regular, structured, and fun activities.
"It has helped me develop my own confidence and leadership through being involved so this is an unforgettable moment for me.”
Connecting Communities aims to inspire and empower young people to get more involved in their local area, providing them with skills and confidence to take control of a project.
The scheme, which runs in 12 of the UK's disadvantaged neighbourhoods, is a network of people inspired to volunteer their time to benefit others in the community.
Over the past 12 months, more than 400 young people have been involved in activities nationwide as part of the programme, and have reported an increase in their skills set and confidence.
Olympic champion and TV presenter Darren Campbell congratulated both on their fantastic efforts.
The initiative is funded by People's Health Trust through The Health Lottery and the event was hosted by Youth Sport Trust. The Connecting Communities Awards at the House of Lords were hosted by Youth Sport Trust Chair Baroness Sue Campbell, who praised the contribution of Jasmine and Melissa.
