Luton’s Best on show as award winners are revealed

There was plenty to celebrate as shortlisted nominees were honoured at Luton Hoo Hotel on Friday night at the 12th Luton’s Best Awards ceremony.

Put forward by the public, the winners and runners up were from all walks of life, of all ages, and from all over the town.

The award’s mission has always been to shine a light on the unsung heroes in the community. The health crisis has seen everyone pull together, and the awards were an opportunity to recognise these outstanding individuals.

The winners came from hundreds of public nominations and stories of remarkable individuals and organisations. They were whittled down to a shortlist by our judging panel, made up of sponsors who all have a stake in the future and success of the town.

The awards were hosted by Andrew Castle and night included a number of keynote speeches and a moment of reflection for those no longer with us. Special tributes were paid to Lord Bill McKenzie, who sadly passed away on Thursday. Special Lifetime Achievement Awards were given to the late Lucky Begum and Chief Fire Officer Paul Fuller. Both had given so much to Luton, but both sadly passed away in 2021.

A charity raffle in aid of Keech Hospice Care was held along with the announcement of the return of the Love Luton Half Marathon and 10k on October 30, 2022.

Jamal Edwards MBE was the guest of honour who delivered a thought-provoking and inspiring speech to the audience. The night, which was fully funded by private sponsorship, ended with a special guest, Elvis impersonator Paul Wilson, who sang a number of covers to close a fantastic night.

Linsey Sweet, chairperson of Love Luton, said: “The last 20 months, in the face of a pandemic, we have seen this same selfless approach by so many including our key workers, neighbours, community organisations and many others.

“They have sacrificed and endured so much to care for us, keep our shop shelves stocked, keep us connected, keep us healthy and teach our children. The Luton’s Best Awards were an opportunity to truly celebrate the heroes of our town, and my congratulations again to all our nominees.

“We also paid tribute to those who are no longer with us. Many in the room were shocked to hear of the sad passing of Lord Bill McKenzie, who had attended every Love Luton event and was considered a friend by many. We send our thoughts and prayers to Lady Di McKenzie. Bill will be sorely missed.

"At the event, we formally launched the return of the half marathon and 10k, and I was delighted to hear from so many who were signing up to take part. There were a number of highlights throughout the evening, but there were two notable points including the powerful speech delivered by our guest of honour Jamal Edwards MBE and Paul Wilson who closed the event in style.”

The full list of winners and runners up:

Adult Achiever: winner Hina Shafi, runner-up Basit Mahmood.

Best Fundraiser, winner Sabine Hazell, runner-up Shaun Drury.

Best Volunteer: winner The Arriva Volunteer Team, runner-up Referral Order Panel Volunteers for the Youth Offending Service.

Care in the Community: winner Luton Irish Forum, runner-up Shri Guru Ravidass Sangat.

Child of Courage: winner Alfie Robinson, runner-up George Agar.

Community Business Person: winner Montell Neufville, runner-up Liz Searle.

Community Company of the Year: winner Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation, runner-up Keech Hospice Care.

Environmental Achievement: winner Chantry Primary Academy Green Team, runner-up Trevor Tween.

Keeping Luton Safe: winner The Safer Luton Partnership, runner-up Winston West.

Lifetime Achievement: Lucky Begum posthumously awarded, Chief Fire Officer, Paul Fuller CBE posthumously awarded.

Luton in Harmony: winner Sandra Hayes, runner-up JP Smith, Boxing Saves Lives.

Luton’s most outstanding citizen 2021: winner Rehana Faisal, runner-up Dr Tahir Mehmood.

Keyworker of the Year: winner Dawn Dudley, runner-up Dr Tahir Mehmood.

Sporting Inspiration: winner Luton Lions, runner-up Eric Phillips.

Young Achiever: winner Joy Stock, runner-up Oliver Doherty.

People’s Choice: winner Dr Tahir Mehmood.