Climate activists, creative innovators and equality and diversity champions make up just a few of Manchester’s unsung community heroes celebrated at the annual Be Proud Awards.
Manchester City Council invites residents across the city to submit nominations to recognise the extraordinary everyday Mancunians who are making a life-changing difference to thousands through their volunteering efforts and developing community hubs.
The coveted awards are split into ten categories including creating safer neighbourhoods; increasing skills and employment and supporting health and wellbeing.
Be Proud Awards also hands out the illustrious Pride of Manchester Awards. This year’s winner is Shakar Hussain, Chair of Rainbow Surprise.
After running his charity for 13 years, alongside his wife Shabnam, Shakar has been instrumental in ensuring his community continues to thrive amid the cost-of-living crisis. He provides regular food drives, community fridges and a local shop for everyone to access, while also going the extra mile to collect people himself to attend events organised by Rainbow Surprise.
Since experiencing a period of homelessness himself, Shakar knows firsthand what it means to be in need and how the small, everyday contributions of a few can be life changing. The charity brings barbers in to cut children's hair for free at the beginning of term and helps with new school uniforms for local pupils.
During the pandemic, when millions were struggling to afford essentials, Shakar and his team of dedicated volunteers provided hundreds with food parcels and continue to supply them to the community, never turning away anyone from their foodbank. The team are lauded for working even throughout Christmas break to ensure that others in need get their own Christmas get together.
Through determination, collaboration and kindness, Rainbow Surprise exemplifies what the Be Proud Awards is about and is recognised has a steadfast pillar of support that makes up the fabric of the community.
Find out more about the categories.
This year’s winners were:
Pride of Manchester - Sponsored by Manchester Evening News
Shakar Hussain – Chair of Rainbow Surprise
Taking Neighbourhood Climate Action - sponsored by Redgate
Shaeda Aziz -Shaeda’s Project: Let’s Go Green (Winner)
Age Friendly Hulme and Moss Side
The Moss Side Repair Café
Helping to Tackle Poverty - sponsored by One Manchester
Shakar Hussain - Rainbow Surprise (Winner)
Michelle Edwards
Miles Platting Social Supermarket
Increasing Skills and Employment Choices - sponsored by Southway Housing Trust
Cup and Cake Café (Winner)
Healthy Me Healthy Communities
Venture Arts
Creating Safer Neighbourhoods - sponsored by Wythenshawe Forum
Jeannine Burke (Winner)
Old Moat Youth Outreach Project
Withington Baths
Supporting Health and Wellbeing - sponsored by MCRActive
Angels United (Winner)
Gail Spelman
Happy Some Days
Promoting Equality and Diversity - sponsored by Wythenshawe Community Housing Group
The Space Group (Winner)
Women’s Voices
Olympias Music Foundation
Creating Greener and Cleaner Neighbourhoods - sponsored by Biffa
Mersey Bank Garden Group (Winner)
Sustainable Communities Hulme
Mirfield Road Community Gardens
Creativity in Neighbourhoods - sponsored by Rowlinson Construction Ltd
Lubna Tahir (Winner)
Still Parents
Business in the Community – Sponsored by MK Illuminations
The Pavillion Alexandra Park
Lentils and Lather
Purpose Coffee Company
The finalists were invited to an awards ceremony at the Mercure Hotel on Friday 8 March.
Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods, said: “Every year, it’s an honour and a privilege to welcome back the Be Proud Awards which recognise the tireless work and dedication so many Mancunians pour into their community groups, voluntary efforts and neighbourhoods that continue to make our brilliant city even better.
“These unsung heroes who have been honoured represent through and through what Manchester stands for: fairness, diversity and treating each other as true neighbours.
“I want to offer my congratulations to the fantastic winners who took away an award and to all the groups who received a nomination – every effort made in our city to make it bigger and better for everyone means that we are all winners tonight.”