In a true celebration of diversity across communities, the third annual Asian Voice Charity Awards in London, organised by Britain’s oldest Asian diaspora publication Asian Voice and Europe’s first independent charity due diligence platform, Charity Clarity, saw winners from across Britain, Afghanistan, India, Tibet and an audience representing more than 40 countries at a glittering evening in Hilton Park Lane, on the eve of the Royal wedding.
The Asian Voice Charity Awards powered by Charity Clarity are about rewarding charities that think big and solve the most pressing social issues of our time, both in Britain and globally. First of its kind in the Asian circle, especially in Britain, the awards in their third year, reward charities that seek to innovate and strive for excellence.
This year the Cleft Lip and Palate Association won Charity of the Year award for their work as the only UK-wide voluntary organisation specifically targeting those affected by cleft lip and palate, at a ceremony attended by some of the wealthiest philanthropists in Britain, including GP Hinduja, as well as leading politicians and celebrities.
Road To Freedom won Startup Of The Year, for its work to provide refugees from war-town countries with immediate aid, working with NGOs and government agencies on the ground in some of the most difficult parts of the world.
National Energy Action were the judges’ runaway winner for an exceptional country-wide campaign to save energy, a model that has been adopted in other countries too. Child to Child won the Social Impact Award, for its 40 years of work promoting international child-rights. Male rape survivor and activist Alexander Morgan won the Most Inspiring Young Person prize, and police constable Steve Whitmore the Most Inspiring Individual prize.
The Charity Clarity Award for Outstanding Impact went to Jagriti Yatra, a 15-day train journey, 800km for 400 young change-makers across India that happens each year. It has created some of India’s foremost social entrepreneurs and pioneers enterprise-led development that cuts across socio-economic boundaries in India.
The Editor's Award for Community Service went to Sangat Advice Centre, based in Harrow and Wealdstone. It helps the local South Asian community with information about law to enforce their rights to welfare benefits, debt, immigration, discrimination, help prevent homelessness through advice and advocacy, help elderly, frail, people with learning disabilities, people with mental health difficulties and disabled people get access to statutory services.
The Awards’s judging panel this year included Chair of the City Bridge Trust Alderman Alison Gowman, Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Head of Philanthropy at the Charities Aid Foundation David Stead andformer chair of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Subhash Thakrar.
CB Patel, Publisher and Editor of Asian Voice, said: “Charities around Britain carry out great work both nationally and internationally. We have witnessed these charities go unnoticed for their valuable efforts and we strongly believe in providing them a platform to recognise such individuals and to inspire others.”
Pratik Dattani, from Charity Clarity, said: “The sustained excellence, in terms of the nominations, the rigorous judging process and the calibre of the attendees on the night shows that this is a key event in the diary each year for philanthropists and charities in Britain. It is wonderful to honour the commitment to excellence our Outstanding Impact winner Jagriti Yatra makes, by transforming lives around India.”
The Asian Voice Charity Awards are not only about charities which seek to solve the most pressing social issues of our time both in Britain and globally, but also for those that seek to innovate and strive for excellence and whose success is judged by their end results. The Awards are for rewarding organisations for progress towards their dreams, regardless of whether they are small or big. So that our generation’s enduring legacy could be to reinvent the whole way humanity thinks about changing things for the better.
===
G P HINDUJA: “WE LOST TOP POSITION IN THE SUNDAY TIMES RICH LIST TO 'KEEP A LOW PROFILE'”
Indian-born billionaire businessman and co-Chairman of the Hinduja Group, Mr G P Hinduja told a room full of audience that, it was his family's decision to keep a 'low profile' which changed their 'status' in The Sunday Times Rich List. The London based Hinduja brothers lost their top position to chemicals entrepreneur Jim Ratcliffe in the annual rich list of Britain's wealthiest released on last Sunday.
At an exclusive interview on stage with the British born entrepreneur and tv personality Syed Ahmedat the annual Asian Voice Charity Awards, Mr Hinduja told some 400+ guests, “They wanted my photograph and an interview. But my children who have learnt to keep a low profile said, dad, we should not be there on any magazine or paper. Our parents have taught us one thing, when you are doing something for the society, or humanity, do it and forget it, don't publicise it.”
Still remaining the UK's richest Asian man, GPshared his life story on the platform, talking about his journey to success, life's lessons, especially from his father, challenges and pride in his Indian roots and culture, but denounced the stereotypical definition of attributing success to materialistic achievements or gains. He said, “I do not define success with wealth or power, nor do I define success with anything to do with the materialistic world.”
Speaking about the importance of charity and philanthropy at this glittering evening in Hilton Park Lane on May 18th, he added, “Helping someone one time is charity. In reality we all should follow philanthropy and try to see how we can create institutions, how can we focus more on health and education. As our scriptures say, the only wealth you will take with you upon your death is education.
“It will also be misleading to tell you that charity brings success and it is wrong to expect something in return while doing philanthropic work.”
