Salford charity scoop ‘heroes’ award

A Salford charity which has transformed the lives of hundreds of people has been voted the winner of the first ever Springboard Heroes Award.

Lower Kersal Young People and Community Group (LKYPCG) are deserving winners of the accolade organised bySalix Homes.

The group wins a £1,000 cash prize and say they’ll use the money to expand their work and help even more people in the community.

Thomas Lever MBE, who runs the charity, said: “When you get nominated for any award it is a great feeling, but when you actually win it, it’s just tremendous. It makes all the hard work that our volunteers, members of the public and staff put in to projects all the worthwhile.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for us. The £1,000 prize money will make a big difference for us, and will give us a bit of respite from having to put bids in all the time to try and get fund to keep going.”

The charity provides activities and opportunities for local people from all walks of life, including young people, war veterans, refugees and people with mental health issues.

Activities are run from St Aidan’s Church and the neighbouring allotment site on Littleton Road where people can go to learn new skills and meet new people.

Members of LKYPCG range in age from just 11 all the way up to 84 and the charity has proved a great source of support for many of them.

The group has recently launched its Soil and Shed project – working with war veterans to provide them with the opportunity to get out on the allotments and socialise with their fellow comrades.

LKYPCG were one of four finalists in Salix Homes’s inaugural Springboard Heroes Awards.

Over the past year, we haveawarded more than £50,000 to community groups and projects that are making a difference in Salford.

Four fantastic projects were selected as finalists in the Springboard Heroes Awards, and hundreds of people voted for their winner.

Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes, said: “We’re incredibly proud of our Springboard grant programme, which has provided a lifeline for dozens of fantastic groups and projects, which are really making a difference in our communities.

“Huge congratulations to Lower Kersal Young People and Community Group who are very worthy winners of our first ever Springboard Heroes Awards, as voted by the public. It’s groups like this that make our communities so special, and we hope the cash prize will help them to continue the fantastic work they do.

“All four of our finalists were heroes in our eyes, and this is our way of honouring some of the amazing work that ordinary people in Salford are doing day in, day out.”

The runners-up were Excelcia Morris Dancing Troupe, Lucie’s Pantry, and St James Lunch Club and Food Pantry, who will each receive £100.

Watch the moment the group are told they are the Springboard Heroes winners.