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Fri 19th Mar 2010
	18:00	Girl Stars
	18:10	Capture 2009
	18:25	Mad For Poetry
	18:30	Forests in a Changing Climate
	18:50	Capture 2009

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How to Make a Difference Winners

Our 'How to Make a Difference' competition closed last week and the winner and runner up were chosen on Monday 19 October.

Winner
The winning entry is the project Vision Housing.

Annys of Vision Housing

It was started by Annys Darkwa, who is running a service to provide day-of-release housing and other services to low risk offenders coming out of prison. The service is run by ex-offenders for ex-offenders and is based in Mitcham, Surrey.

Annys was difficult to reach as she was up to her eyeballs in referrals and feeling overwhelmed.

But when we finally spoke to her, she was shocked and thrilled that Vision Housing had won!

She said: "I'm amazed at the news that our 'baby' - Vision Housing - has won this competition. We're absolutely over the moon and hope that the film that's made highlights the work that we do in assisting vulnerable people who are normally left to their own devices". More about Vision Housing

Runner Up

Help From Home

The judging panel had a difficult time choosing between projects that were all doing great work in their own field. But they particularly liked Michael Bright's idea of micro volunteering from home, in his case from his base in Cardiff, and chose it as the runner up.

Help From Home encourages people to use their time at home to volunteer without leaving their sitting room. The panel felt it had the potential to grow and create change.

Mike's response: "Thank you so very much for believing in what I am trying to achieve with my initiative. As Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world". I believe anyone could set up an initiative like mine, but I wanted to see a change, so I took Gandhi's words to heart and did something about it." More about Help From Home

Highly Commended
The panel also liked Angel Radio, a station for people aged 60 and over, run by... the over 60s, mostly volunteers. It's 'snap, crackle, but no pop' strapline encapsulated a vibrant and dynamic ethos providing all kinds of services for older people.

Tony Smith, founder and manager of Angel Radio said: "Many thanks for the good news. We did much better in the Make a Difference Competition than we ever expected, so that's good enough news for us". More about Angel Radio.

Over 100 projects entered the competition. Congratulations to all of them for the originality, hard work and commitment they showed. We were inspired by the work being done whether it was mental health football, swimming lessons for children with Down's syndrome, or supporting teenage mums.

Particular mention to the shortlisted projects: Wythenshawe Wheelers, Woking Minders FC, The Sock Mob, Cirque Nova's Stellar project, Innovative Vision Organisation, Borderline Books, Facing It Together - Group for Younger Widows, Electric Eels Swim Club, and FLAVA 'b inspired'.

The How to Make a Difference film - Vision Housing - will broadcast on Community Channel and online in the week beginning 16 November. Watch Fran Monks How to Make a Difference film online.

Last Updated ( Friday, 23 October 2009 )