Philip Lawrence Awards hosted by UCL

UCL hosted the Sixth Annual Philip Lawrence Awards on 3 December 2002.

Attended by many prominent figures, the awards were planned and produced in close collaboration with organisations working for or with young people aged 11-20, most notably the London Institute and the Guides.

Secondary school headteacher Philip Lawrence was stabbed to death at the gates of his Maida Vale school in 1995 when he intervened during a gang attack on a pupil. His widow Frances Lawrence subsequently published a vision for a better society, calling for Britain to unite in a nationwide movement for change.

The article struck a chord with the then Home Secretary Michael Howard, who responded by initiating the award scheme in memory of Philip, 'to recognise outstanding achievements of good citizenship by the young'. The awards focus on the promotion and recognition of activities with relevance to the work of the Home Office, such as combating lawlessness and violence, or promoting community safety and racial harmony.

Frances Lawrence is keen that young people, through their involvement with the awards, are exposed to inspirational experiences that open up their horizons.

The 2002 awards were presented at the UCL Bloomsbury theatre. In attendance were Lord Filkin, Home Office Minister (Community Policy), Paul Boateng, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Lord Falconer, Home Office Minister (Sentencing & Law Reform), and Michael Howard, now Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. Among the judges were the Duchess of Kent and Sir Trevor McDonald.

Winners included 'Mulberry Youth Against Prejudice', who organised a conference to address the growing mistrust between London's ethnic communities and to confront issues of global prejudice. 'Proud and Loud', a group of disabled young people from Salford was also awarded a prize. The teenagers tackled bullying and discrimination through a specialist arts project.

The 'Ultrawheelz Skatepark Project' received a prize after raising an astounding £54,000 over three years to build a skatepark. Following a near fatal accident involving a young rollerbalder and a bus, the group decided to strive for safe facilities to be created locally for skaters.

Images: Top - Trevor McDonald chairing the judging panel. Bottom - Paul Boateng and prize winners.

To find out more about the awards use the link below.

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Link: The Philip Lawrence Awards