This summer, Andy Hawthorne, Director of the Message Trust was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. The honour recognises his outstanding achievements and service to young people in Greater Manchester for almost twenty years.

 The honour recognises his outstanding achievements and service to young people in Greater Manchester for almost twenty years.

Since 1992, Andy has been a pioneer of initiatives that help the hardest-to-reach young people in schools, prisons and disadvantaged local communities.

Through schools bands, theatre, urban youth partnerships and work with young offenders The Message Trust now reaches over 100,000 young people a year.

Thousands of young people attribute the radical changes in their lives to the work of The Message and The Message Trust is held in high regard by other youth agencies nationwide, receiving commendations from Prime Minister David Cameron and Chief Constable of the Greater Manchester Police, Peter Fahy.

 

 Pastor Agu Irukwu, the Senior Pastor of Jesus House, has been named London's most inspirational black person. He won Boris Johnson's award which was run as part of Black history month and other nominations included inspirational people from politics, media and the arts.

HOPE is thrilled to be partnering with Redeemed Christian Church of God and other Black Majority Church streams to see unity in mission.

Nominations for the London Mayor's award covered the last 200 years of black historical achievements in the community and voting was open to Londoners. Other nominated Church leaders also included Rev Nezlin Stirling, Archbishop of York John Sentamu, speakers chaplain Rose Hudson-Wilkin and Rev Wilfred Wood.

 

Pastor Agu is now recognised as having an influential and inspirational role in society as he is the leader of a thriving Church and is also a key member of the community. .