Excellence in Diversity Awards

Tag: NDA Shortlist

  • The National Diversity Awards Announce 2015 Shortlist

    NDA Shortlist ImageDiversity Heroes shortlisted for UK’s Largest Diversity Awards

    Charities and Role Models from across the UK will gather at the breathtaking Anglican Cathedral on September 18th 2015 for The National Diversity Awards.

    The Best of British Diversity will flock to Liverpool to celebrate the outstanding achievements of those who have demonstrated their devotion to enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion in today’s society.

    Over 20,000 nominations and votes were received this year, paying tribute to grass root communities nationwide.

    The full list of shortlisted nominees are as follows:

    Positive Role Models for Age

    Adnan Davod Bilal Awan Elly Barnes Jake Watts
    Nadia Clarke Louise Liddle-McGhee Rebecca Parkin Tunji Akintokun

    Positive Role Models for Disability

    Jonathan Andrews Monique Craine Oliver Hellowell Suzie Jones
    Simon Green Sam Cleasby Nicola Miles-Wildin Christopher Malpas

    Positive Role Models for Gender

    Polly Harrar Debra Searle MBE Natasha Goldthorpe Shane Ryan
    Sonia Bate Cindy Edwards Placida Acheru Funke Abimbola

    Positive Role Models for LGBT

    Kathy Caton Megan Key Phil Forder Samantha Truelove
    Jake Graf Sanjay Sood-Smith Gary Zetter Jude Woods

    Positive Role Models for Race, Religion & Faith

    Mike Chappell Fred Suadwa Indy Hothi Phillip Leong
    Myira Khan Nathaniel Peat Vicky Beeching Naheed Nazir

    Entrepreneurs of Excellence

    Byron Cole – The BLC Group Lina Naima – FACE4MUSIC Justin Edgar – 104 Films Limited Amar Latif – Traveleyes
    Luke Rodgers – Foster Focus Stephanie Wright – Sefton & Liverpool Women in Business Craig Grimes – Experience Community CIC Mavis Amankwah – Rich Vision

    Community Organisations for Age

    ACE Aspiration Creation Elevation Active Impact Include Me Too Diversity Role Models
    Crosshill School Young Identity North City Play Tylers Trust

    Community Organisations for Disability

    Focus Liverpool St Andrews Healthcare CASPA ChAPS
    Disability Rocks FND Hope Anna Kennedy Online Havering Dementia Action Alliance

    Community Organisations for Gender

    Asian Women Mean Business Nyasa Daughters of Nottingham Cervical Cancer Support Group Saheli
    Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer Aurora New Dawn Asian Women Mean Business JAN Trust Muslim Womens Network UK

    Community Organisations for LGBT

    Broken Rainbow Foyle Pride Trans Men Support & Advice UK No Going Back
    Planet London Mermaids Manchester Lesbian & Gay Chorus Out & Proud Diamond Group

    Community Organisations for Race, Religion & Faith

    Ujima Radio 3FF Three Faiths Forum Polish Expats Merseyside Network for Change
    Nubian Jak Hikmat Devon ArtsEkta UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group

    Community Organisations for Multi-Strand

    Leeds Beckett SU Liverpool Homeless FC BCfm Darlington Independent Advice Group
    Result CIC Buddy Buddy Scheme BollyGOOD SELF

    Diverse Companies

    British Transport Police Calico Victim Support West Midlands Police
    Contracts IT Royal Navy Steve Biko Housing Association Staffordshire & West Midlands CRC
    Circle Housing Office for National Statistics

    Lifetime Achievers

    Dr Neville Brown Sally Carr Jenny Sealey MBE Marion Aslan
    Carol Steele Dr Nasser Siabi OBE Caron Drucker Liz Kelly

    The prestigious black tie event is definitely one to mark down on your calendar and provides recognition for excellence regardless of race, faith, religion, gender, identity, sexual orientation, age, disability and culture.

    Microsoft will be just one of the brands supporting a skyfall of diversity talent alongside Barclays, The Army, Financial Ombudsman Service, Liverpool City Council, Penna, Mouchel, MI5, PwC, ThoughtWorks, Transport for London and The Open University.

    Barclays commented ‘We understand the commercial relevance of diversity and are therefore proud to sponsor the National Diversity Awards as the spirit of these awards aligns with the way we do business. We would like to congratulate all of the nominees and winners this year and wish them every success.’

    TV personality Brian Dowling also expressed his delight in returning to host the ceremony, He said: ‘I am so excited to host The National Diversity Awards again! I have witnessed the awards go from strength to strength since its formation and I am always truly taken back by the humbling and uplifting stories of all the nominees and award winners. I can’t wait to get on stage for what is sure to be another extraordinary evening!’

    Designed to highlight the country’s most inspirational and selfless people, the NDA’s are supported by the likes of Brian Blessed, Adam Hills and Ade Adepitan amongst many

    Comedian and actor Stephen Fry said, ‘Four years on and The National Diversity Awards are continuing to have a positive impact across the whole of the UK. The awards have grown, and with it, so has the vast array of unsung diversity heroes being recognised nationwide.

    It is crucial that we challenge discrimination head on, and the NDA’s unite those that dedicate their lives to the cause. Long may this continue’. He added.

    Previous winners include Huddersfield based Disability Theatre Group Shabang!, Freedom Fighting Refugee Aderonke Apata, and domestic violence campaigner Karen Ingala Smith.

    Winners will be announced at The National Diversity Awards 2015

    TABLE BOOKINGS ARE NOW AVAILABLE HERE

  • You Made a Difference in My Life

    National Diversity AwardsIt was such an honour to be recognised as an entrepreneur of excellence and represent the LGBT community at the National Diversity Awards. Sitting in the same room as so many amazing individuals and organisations who work tirelessly to support their communities, at the NDA Awards Dinner, was humbling. It is often easy to forget that we still need these activists, campaigners, support groups and community leaders to build diversity and inclusion within the UK. In fact, being nominated and then shortlisted gave us the inspiration to strengthen the Planet London website and undertake a complete site redevelopment to ensure Planet London (and Brighton) is even more accessible and offers even more for the Lesbian, Bi and Queer women’s community.

    When we read the nomination reasons that came in from a number of people we have supported over the last few years, we were struck at how one simple idea to bring inclusion to the lesbian, bi and queer (LBQ) women’s community in London has grown, evolved and really helped the women we set out to support.

    From an events calendar that aimed to be a comprehensive and accurate source of information and encourage a diverse and thriving social community for LBQ women to a growing portfolio of affordable business support opportunities aimed especially at micro businesses run by LBQ women, building on mobile technology with the My Pocket Planet app – Planet London is THE place for women to connect with their community and grow their ideas to create spaces women can connect. We wanted to make sure that LBQ women will always have somewhere they can go and be themselves and that meets their needs.

    DSCF4638There are not a lot of opportunities to give recognition to LBQ women working incredibly hard to create exciting, different, diverse, creative and safe spaces for their community, nor are there many places for event organisers to raise their own profile. We are currently running the grass roots focused Ultimate Planet Awards to give that opportunity to say thanks, “you made a difference in my life” – to recognise the passion behind the LBQ social community. Change starts at the grass roots and this level of change is so often ignored as it’s not always sexy or media friendly work. It’s not about the winning – it’s about every now and then being reminded of the difference made to people’s lives by the things you do with only passion as a driver.