Singer Lemar and former Eastenders star Brooke Kinsella host a star-studded event celebrating young people from all walks of life whose common bond is London.
Hip-hop star Speech Debelle, winner of the prestigious Mercury Music Prize for the best British album of the year, performs alongside Diversity, winners of Britain's Got Talent as well as X Factor winner, Alexandra Burke.
The inaugural Spirit of London Awards 2009 — which is being shown exclusively on Community Channel — also features a special duet with former So Solid Crew rapper Ashley Walters and Robbie Craig supported by the ACM Gospel Choir.
Brooke Kinsella, whose 16-year-old brother, Ben was stabbed to death in Islington, north London, in 2008 whilst out celebrating his GCSEs, said: “I am so proud and honoured to be involved in an event such as the Spirit of London Awards.
“For a long time now, most teenagers have been unfairly getting a bad reputation for being troublemakers or violent when it is actually only a small minority. I have met some amazing kids on my own personal journey and their talent and goodness is represented by the outstanding winners of these awards this year.”
The awards ceremony, organised by the Damilola Taylor Trust, celebrates all that is good about the young people of London, and recognises those youngsters who are a credit to their local community.
Winners were recognised in the following categories:
• Community Champions aged 16-25
• Young Heroes aged 5-16
• Community Business Entrepreneur
• Achievement Through Sport
• Achievement Through Music
• Achievement Through the Arts
• Achievement Through Education
• The London Legend Award – awarded to actor Sir Michael Caine
• Positive Role Model of the year
• Special Recognition
Mayor Boris Johnson said: “It’s high time we praised the brilliant young people who make our city proud. You could be forgiven for thinking that all teenagers endlessly run riot and cause trouble, but in reality this is a tiny minority. Let’s concentrate on the majority, the thousands of youngsters who are full of aspirations and achieving great things in the capital."
The Damilola Taylor Trust was set up after 10-year-old Damilola Taylor was stabbed to death on a council estate in Peckham, south London, in November 2000.
Damilola’s father, Richard said: “18 months of hard work to bring the Spirit of London Awards to life paid off with the wonderful event that lit up the lives of so many fantastic young people.”
The 90-minute show also includes interviews with Alexandra Burke, Sir Michael Caine, Diversity, actor Tamer Hassan, who starred in Dead Man Running, DJ Ironik, London Mayor Boris Johnson, Brooke Kinsella, X-Factor group JLS, Lemar and Ashley Walters.
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