Community heroes pick up awards

Ms Virgo won the ceremony's overall award for 'changing the community for the better' for her many selfless community roles including her work as chair of the Little Venice police ward panel.

In this role she acts as an invaluable link between local people and the police and has helped the police and the council combat drug use and anti-social behaviour in St Mary's Churchyard, Little Venice.

Ms Virgo said: "I am absolutely overwhelmed; I really didn't expect this award and am sure that there were many other people who deserved it. I think that it must have been very hard for the judges to pick."

Isola Akay, 73, received the award for 'changing the lives of children and young people' for his relentless commitment to the All Stars Boxing Club in Harrow Road, Queen's Park.

Mr Akay, who has spent over 35 years helping youths in the north of the borough was the club's original founder which since 1993 has been run entirely by volunteers but has gone on to produce regional, national and European boxing champions.

Mr Akay said: "It's great to be appreciated for what I am doing.

"I am not a hero, I just like to help my community and hope that we will be doing it for many years to come."

Eighty-four-year old Ivy Billard was honoured for 'changing the lives of older people'.

Mrs Billard has been instrumental in a wide range of projects including seeking out funding for a complementary therapies project and her involvement with filming for a TV documentary to highlight the problem of age discrimination.

She said: "I am absolutely thrilled to bits. This award is for the whole community in Queen's Park and Westminster Senior Citizens Forum.

"I want to help people see that there is a quality of life that we all deserve."

Westminster Council leader Cllr Colin Barrow, who presented the awards, said: "These awards honour those who go above and beyond the call of duty to make Westminster a better place to live, work and play.

"Both the winners and those who were nominated should feel very proud that they were chosen by their peers who recognise the great service that they do, day in and day out.

"The vast number of nominations we received exemplifies the selfless work that goes on, often unnoticed and unrewarded, in our communities."