Civic honours for Islington's ‘unsung heroes’

Published: 1st April, 2011
by ANDREW JOHNSON

ONE of the leading lights in the Tribune’s successful campaign to save the Whittington Hospital last year was honoured at the Town Hall on Thursday.

Shirley Franklin was one of 13 “unsung heroes” who picked up a special Civic Award for selfless contributions to the community.

Other winners included Daniel Lusardi, 14, and Rhys Farthing, 15, who won the Ben Kinsella Award – a special under-18s award – for their work as chair and vice chair of the McCall and Hollins Young People’s Committee. The commit­tee organises clubs and a football tournament on the McCall and Hollins estate in Tufnell Park to challenge the postcode wars and gang culture in the area, and members must sign a good behaviour pledge. The award is named after the Holloway School pupil who was stabbed to death in 2008, aged 16.

Daniel, who goes to Central Foundation School, said: “The estate was run down and there were gangs of boys too but that’s all changed now. There’s fewer people causing trouble and we don’t have to stay at home, we can go out and do sport.”

The winners were all nominated by members of the public.