Hounslow’s shining stars celebrated at community event

Local residents, groups, organisations and businesses who have gone above and beyond for the community were celebrated earlier this month at Hounslow House. 

Just under 230 Hounslow Community Star nominations were received, highlighting the selfless and dedicated work taking place to bring our diverse Borough together.

While there were no set categories, a number of themes were suggested to help residents identify potential nominees: community and neighbourhood, green, social enterprise, young leader, arts and culture.

Syon and Brentford Lock Councillor Dan Bowring hosted the evening, which was sponsored by the Hounslow Herald, and featured a Tamil dance performance from the Kaalayam School of Dance and music from Feltham’s own, Jade Thornton.

Opening the event, Leader of Hounslow Council, Shantanu Rajawat described the invited guests as “extraordinary.”

"I’ve seen first hand the work many of you do,’’ he said.

’‘The truth is, making Hounslow the best it can be will only happen when we come together’’ - Hounslow Council Leader Shantanu Rajawat

Winners were welcomed on stage by the council leader and Mayor of Hounslow Councillor Afzaal Kiani as well as a councillor related to their nomination theme, to receive their engraved award and certificate.

In total, 20 individuals and organisations were celebrated at the event:

• Chiswick Repair Café
• Heston & Isleworth Air Cadets
• Retired teacher and Home Start volunteer Jenny Samuel
• Heston in the Community (HITC) 
• Hounslow Community Foodbox’s Max Campling
• Cycle Sisters
• Ghanaian Community Forum
• Cranford Action Group’s Umme Khanzada
• Al Mustafa Welfare Trust trustee and social worker Shamama Lateef
• Charity volunteer Michelle Odell
• SHEWISE
• Sunshine of Hounslow founder Sharnjeet Bhalla
• Chiswick Cricket Club trustee Bernard Hughes
• Health Means Wealth community allotment in Feltham organisers Darshan and Gogi Sandhu
• Speak Out in Hounslow
• West London Queer Project
• Founder and Chair of the Polish Klan Association, Malwina Kukaj 
• Home Start charity volunteer Margaret O’Connor
• Hounslow Arts Centre’s Jonathan Ashby Rock
• Trinjin founder Mohinder Dosanjh

For more information on the winners, please see the Hounslow Herald article.