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Published: 14 May 2010
by PETER GRUNER

AN “inspirational” head­teacher who has taught in Finsbury for almost 30 years won a top award for service to the community at a glittering ceremony at the London Symphony Orchestra concert centre,  St Luke’s Church, on Wednesday night.

Mary Caven was presented with the Jack Sheehan EC1 Lifetime Achievement award for her work at Prior Weston School.

The school is known for its “vibrant, fun and caring atmosphere”, much of it as a result of Ms Caven’s extraor­dinary influence.

Other EC1 Pride in our People prize winners who were presented with awards at the centre, at St Luke’s Church, were:

• Julie Potton, Good Neighbour of the Year, who helped a friend through difficult times, and looks out for neighbours on her estate.

• Liz Smithson, Volunteer of the Year. She served for more than 10 years as governor at Moreland Primary School, is the secretary of her local tenants association and has successfully arranged for Arsenal Positive Future Scheme to run activities on King Square.

• Rakhia Ismail, Teacher of the Year, who runs a good after-school sewing class for young people interested in fashion and design.

• Sami Gherezgher, Young Person of the Year. He organises fundraising activities and events to showcase the skills of local young performers.

•  St Luke’s Parochial Trust was the Team of the Year. They have transformed the St Luke’s Centre in Central Street over recent years to provide an array of services for local people of all ages, including an internet café, arts and crafts lessons and an advice shop.

•  Lovells LLP, a solicitors from Holborn, was the Local Business of the Year. They provide advice and training to traders in Whitecross Street as well as a debating club at St Luke’s Primary school, encouraging children to make their voices and opinions heard.

The event was hosted by BBC news presenter and Islington resident, Kate Silverton.

Matthew Humphreys, chairman of the EC1 New Deal for Communities Board, said:

“All of our finalists do what they do without want of recognition and that’s what the EC1 Pride in our People Awards is all about – saying thank you to those unsung heroes who understand the true meaning of community spirit.”