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The Mirror, Kiss FM, Magic and a Range of National Media Partners Link to the No2H8 Awards

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As the national nominations for the annual No2H8 Crime Awards open on the 1st of July 2018, we are proud to announce that the Bauer owned media titles and radio stations – Take a Break, That’s Life, Bella, and Closer, alongside Magic, Kiss, Absolute and Hits Radio have all become No2H8 Crime Awards media partners. This is in addition to the Mirror, Jewish News and Pride Radio.

These partnerships will ensure that grass roots communities across the Country will be able to nominate and honour those heroes in local communities who stand against hate. They will also ensure that a core social value of standing against hatred and intolerance is strengthened at a wider national level.

Speaking on the national media partnerships, the Chair of the No2H8 Crime Awards, Richard Benson OBE said:

“We are proud to see so many media agencies standing up for what is right and for core social values that we all enjoy. Given that hate incidents have risen across communities, it is essential that we all send out a strong signal, that we will not tolerate hatred and prejudice in our communities. This is why we celebrate those heroes standing against hate in communities and why we must re-enforce the need for society to remain vigilant and pro-active in reducing it.”

The Mirror Newspaper Partners with the Annual No2H8 Awards

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We are proud to announce the Mirror as the official media partner of the No2H8 Crime Awards 2018.

The Mirror has a long and proud history for calling out racism and intolerance right across society. They stand up for what is right and give a voice to those who need it most.

With incidents of hate crimes on the rise and antisemitic and anti-Muslim hatred being felt across the UK, we are proud to partner with the Mirror and to defend the right for people to live their lives without fear and to identify and be proud of who they are. The No2H8 Crime Awards have become the annual event to celebrate all that is good in our country and to ensure that decency, respect and tolerance for others are at the heart of our communities.

The third No2H8 Crime Awards will take place on Thursday 13th September honouring those who stand against hatred, prejudice and intolerance.

Nominations will open in July and anyone can nominate someone who has challenged hatred throughout the country, and made a positive impact in their community and stood up to prejudice and intolerance.

Previous winners of the No2H8 Crime Awards include medical specialist Dr Nasser Kurdy who was stabbed in the neck outside of the Altrincham mosque in September 2017 and helped those injured in the Manchester Arena bomb.  

Other winners include Jack Stanley who was awarded the Young Upstander Award. Jack, 13, was featured on the national documentary ‘Educating Manchester’, where Jack comforted and made friends with Syrian refugee Rani Assad who was bullied at school. His actions led to the national hashtag #BeMoreLikeJack trending on Twitter.

Speaking about this important and exciting national media partnership, the Chair of the No2H8 Crime Awards, Richard Benson OBE, said:

“We are proud to partner with the Mirror ensuring that people across the country can nominate men, women; young people and statutory authorities for the No2H8 Crime Awards.

“This partnership not only widens the engagement of the Awards across the country, it also places this national unique event on the map as a means of celebrating all that is good within communities and where people selflessly stand up against hatred, prejudice and intolerance.

“We need to celebrate this distinctive characteristic of our country and also motivate people to be Upstanders for others if they are targeted with hatred and bigotry. We look forward to delivering our largest No2H8 Crime Awards in 2018 and with the Mirror, we go from strength to strength.”

 Alison Phillips, Daily Mirror Editor said:

“Racism and prejudice have no place in our society and the Mirror has a proud history for standing up for what is right.

“We are excited to work with the No2H8 Crime Awards, honouring those who help to stamp out hate crimes in their community and refusing to accept any sort of prejudice or intolerance.”

Speaking on behalf of the Jewish News which has supported the No2H8 Crime Awards since its inception, Jewish News editor Richard Ferrer said: “It’s a great honour to once again to be working with such a group of highly-respected organisations battling hatred and intolerance across our country.”

The No2H8 Crime Awards would like to thank the founding media partners, the Jewish News, who supported the Awards right from the start of the inception. This relationship and partnership continues and we would especially like to thank Richard Ferrer, the Editor of the Jewish News and Justin Cohen, the News Editor of the Jewish News. Both of these individuals have helped to develop and shape these Awards and we would like to thank them for their enormous efforts. We hope that you may support the Jewish News and their visionary community journalism in the future.

 

List of Award Winners for the No2H8 Crime Awards – 2017

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Congratulations to all of those who were successful on the night on the No2H8 Crime Awards. These are the list of winners and to those who were runners up, there is always next year. Nominations for 2018 will be opening soon.

Public Sector Upstander Award

Dr Nasser Kurdy

The CPS Special Award

Emma Roebuck

Community Volunteer Upstander

Farooq Aftab

Young Upstander

Jack Stanley

Law Enforcement Upstander

Northumbria Police Community Engagement Team

Upstanding Research and Innovation Award

Kim Sadique
Outstanding Contribution Award

Detective Chief Inspector Shabnam Chaudhri – Metropolitan Police Service

Upstanding Organisation

The Sophie Lancaster Foundation

The Jo Cox Award

Stop Funding Hate

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr David Hoffman

Sheikh Abdullah Award for Intercultural Dialogue

Dr Imam Mamadou Bocoum and Rabbi Jonathon Wittenberg

Tell MAMA Champion Award

Stephen Brookes MBE

James Edgington & Mark Greary

Nominees for the 2017 No2H8 Crime Awards Announced

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We are pleased to announce the list of nominees for the award categories for the 2017 No2H8 Crime Awards.

Nominees have been through 2 judging panels, including hate crime agencies and a panel of respected peers who have spent many years countering hatred, racism, prejudice and extremism. We are therefore pleased to announce the following list of nominees.

We would like to send our congratulations to those on the list and to those who did not make the list, we hope that 2018 will be your year!

Upstanding Organisation Award

Liverpool Homeless Football Club
The Naz and Matt Foundation
Sophie Lancaster Foundation
Stand Against Racism and Inequality (SARI)

Community Volunteer Upstander Award

John Conibear
Farooq Aftab
Roanna Carleton-Taylor

Young Upstander Award

Jack Stanley

Upstanding Research and Innovation Award

Dr Mark Walters
Dr Kim Sadique
Dr Imran Awan

Law Enforcement Upstander Award

Michael Cronin
Northumbria Police Community Engagement Team
Michelle Redfern

The Jo Cox Award

Sylvia Lancaster
Stop Funding Hate

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr Edie Friedman
Professor John Grieve CBE QPM
Dr David Hoffman

The CPS ‘Supporting Victims, Reporting Hate Crime ‘Award

Derby Homes
Emma Roebuck
National Black Crown Prosecution Association

Outstanding Contribution Award

Mehri Niknam
Detective Chief Inspector Shabnam Chaudhri
Sally Sealey OBE

Sheikh Abdullah Award for Intercultural Dialogue

Dr Imam Mamadou Bocoum
Rabbi Jonathon Wittenberg

Stop Funding Hate Partners with the No2H8 Crime Awards

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We are honoured to have Stop Funding Hate as our partners. Stop Funding Hate aims to tackle the culture of hate and demonisation that is dividing our society and contributing to hate crimes. They are taking on the divisive hate campaigns of some press sources, by persuading advertisers to pull their support. Hundreds of thousands of people have now taken action to persuade companies to stop funding hate. In November 2016, Lego announced they would no longer be advertising in one of the national papers that Stop Funding Hate campaigns against.

Why do you think No2H8 Crime Awards is a positive annual event?

All around the UK people are tackling hatred within their communities and supporting neighbours, friends and colleagues who have faced abuse. This deserves to be recognised and supported. Because ultimately it is through people engaging with each other at the community level that we can overcome hatred and prejudice.

 This event is also a valuable opportunity for communities to show unity against all forms of hate and discrimination. Whether it is anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or other hatred based on race, religion, sexuality, disability, gender or cultural identity, we are standing together to support all those challenging prejudice and working for a kinder, fairer society.

Do you believe that hatred and intolerance are rising?

The past year has seen a shocking rise in hate crime and a resurgence of racism on a scale many would have believed impossible not long ago. But what’s encouraging is that across the UK – and around the world – hundreds of thousands of people have been getting organised and pushing back.

The rise of hatred and intolerance has been met by a growing global movement that is challenging the normalisation of hate and insisting on a more civil public discourse. Now is the time for everyone who believes in fairness, neighbourliness and basic human rights to speak out and show that the vast majority want to live in a society where everyone is respected.

How important is the media in raising awareness about hate crimes?

The media is hugely important in facilitating frank and honest debate about the factors fuelling hate crime – and enabling those affected to have their voices heard. Alongside this, the advertisers who fund our media have a vital role in supporting media outlets that report accurately and fairly – and ensuring that their marketing budgets do not fund publications which are themselves inciting hatred.

Why is it essential for communities to maintain vigilance against hatred, intolerance and prejudice?

History shows us the dangers of allowing hatred, intolerance and prejudice to go unchallenged. If we look the other way while people within our community are demonised and attacked simply because of who they are, this behaviour can start to become a new “norm” and get progressively more extreme. Hate speech and hate crime can be the first steps on a path that leads to large-scale discrimination and violence. We have to send a clear signal from the outset that we refuse to be divided and will not allow anyone in our community to be treated this way.

Show Racism the Red Card Become Partners With the No2H8 Crime Awards

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We are proud to have ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ as our partners in the No2H8 Crime Awards. They are one of the leading anti-racism educational charities in the UK which was established in January 1996. The organisation utilises the high-profile status of football and football players to help tackle racism in society. The majority of the organisation’s work is the delivery of education to young people and adults in their schools, their workplaces and at events held in football stadiums. Across Britain, Show Racism the Red Card delivers training to more than 50,000 individuals per year.

  • Why do you think No2H8 Crime Awards is a positive and much needed annual event?

Because there is a rise in hate crimes in the UK, more needs to be done on it. Hate crime is massively unreported. For example, Show Racism the Red Card research shows that only around 10% of hate crimes is reported to the police. So therefore, we think No2H8 Crime Awards are a great way to get more people involved in reporting hate crime.

  • Do you believe that hatred and intolerance are rising?

Show Racism the Red Card and many other organisations have evidence that it is certainly rising.

  • How important is education in tackling hate crimes?

If we want to reduce hate crime in the long-term, education is key to do so. The ethos of our organisation is that no one is born racist, people learn to be racist and if you can learn to be racist you can also unlearn it.

  • Why is it essential for communities to maintain vigilance against hatred, intolerance and prejudice?

Everyone wants to live in a peaceful society, where everyone can go about their everyday life without harassment and therefore we need to be proactive in fighting hate crimes, put more effort into educating people and organise events such as No2H8 Crime Awards.

The Anti-Bullying Alliance Partners with the No2H8 Crime Awards

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Another organisation that we have partnered with on the No2H8 Crime Awards is the Anti-Bullying Alliance. It is a unique coalition of organisations and individuals, working together on preventing bullying and creating safer environments in which children and young people can live, grow, play and learn. The Anti-Bullying Alliance was established by the NSPCC and the National Children’s Bureau and they offer expertise in relation to all forms of bullying between children and young people.

  • Why do you think No2H8 Crime Awards is a positive annual event?

It draws attention to the issue of hate crime from a positive angle that celebrate those who challenge this behaviour. We hope this will in turn encourage people to report hate crime and hate incidents and prevent hate crimes happening in the future. Our collective power all saying ‘no, we will not stand for this and here is what you can do’ will empower others. We have collective power and responsibility to make sure we create a community where we have equal rights and equal respect.

  • Do you believe that hatred and intolerance are rising?

From our perspective of working with schools, we know that headway has been made over the past couple of decades to reduce hate speech in the classroom. However, recently there have been several reports that show a sharp rise in hate crimes and incidents in schools and these figures back up what we have been hearing from schools in recent years. The Anti-Bullying Alliance wants to see more awareness and support for schools on challenging discriminatory language and hate crimes and incidents in school.

  • Why is it important for groups to work together and be seen working together?

At the Anti-Bullying Alliance, our tagline is ‘United Against Bullying’. As a membership organisation ourselves, we constantly see the greater value and impact of working collaboratively. Working together means that voices from across communities are heard, messages are amplified. And ultimately that means that change can take place.

  • Why is it essential for communities to maintain vigilance against hatred, intolerance and prejudice?

We know the power for in instances of bullying of a bystander speaking up. Research in the USA in the noughties showed that in 90% of bullying situations, where a bystander [someone who sees but is not directly involved in bullying] just says ‘no’ to the situation and voices their dislike, the bullying stops. This shows the power we have to stop hate and prejudice.

The theme for this year’s Anti-Bullying Week is “All Different, All Equal”. Young people told us that their top concerns were about bullying related to differences – that of race, faith, disability, and sexuality and gender. It’s clear that they recognise negative discourse around them, but they want this to change. At a time of division, young people are telling us that they would like us to focus on the positive aspects of difference, and on finding out what links people from different walks of life.

We want to support communities to celebrate what makes them, and others, unique and help them understand why it’s important that every child feels included and is able to be themselves without fear.

Wandsworth & Westminster MIND Support the No2H8 Crime Awards

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We are honoured to partner on the No2H8 Crime Awards with Wandsworth & Westminster Mind. They have been delivering services and support for people living in Wandsworth and Westminster and in neighbouring boroughs for over 40 years. Their aim is to help people in local communities to have better mental health and well-being and to live the best lives possible.

  • Why do you think No2H8 Crime Awards is a positive annual event?

The No2H8 Awards are a positive event as they raise awareness about hate crimes in our community and bring together people who work tirelessly to decrease and ultimately eradicate this problem.

  • Why is it important for groups to work together and be seen working together?

Working together helps us by pooling information, expertise and resources as we do through CATCH (Community Alliance to Combat Hate) project.

In addition, by working together, we give a clear message that we will continue to bring people who represent diverse communities together. We give a message that we work together to facilitate harmony, understanding, mutual respect and dialogue, by emphasizing the common values of different cultures and religions. Our message is that we enjoy our differences, while respecting the others.

  • What is the main difficulty with tackling disability and mental health hate crimes?

The main difficulty has been impact of disability and mental health on people’s ability and willingness to pursue their achievable goals and cases as far as a complaint to the Police and subsequent possible prosecutions.

In addition to this, further detrimental impact on people’s mental health and increased vulnerability that limits willingness and ability to join services in community.

  • Why is it essential for communities to maintain vigilance against hatred, intolerance and prejudice?

To continue to raise awareness of the existence of the hate crime problem and of the necessity to overcome it.  While it is encouraging that people are more confident in coming forward to report hate crimes and that attitudes are changing for the better, even one hate crime is one too many.

‘Kick It Out’ Highlight Why They Are Part of the No2H8 Crime Annual Awards

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We are honoured to have ‘Kick It Out’ as one of our partners for No2H8 Crime Awards. ‘Kick It Out’ is an organisation working on equality and inclusion through the medium of football. It also works within the educational sector to challenge discrimination, encourage inclusive practices and campaign for positive change.

  • Why do you think the No2H8 Crime Awards are a positive annual event?

‘Kick It Out’ believes that it is important to recognise the groups and individuals who take a stand against hate crime and promote messages of unity and inclusion within their communities.

Therefore, the National No2H8 Crime Awards are an essential mechanism to display the support for groups and individuals who challenge hate, but to also inspire others to recognise and promote diversity and inclusion within their local community.

  • Do you believe that hatred and intolerance are rising?

‘Kick It Out’ is aware of the many pieces of research which have indicated that hatred and intolerance are on the rise in the United Kingdom. In recognition of this, ‘Kick It Out’ launched a season long initiative called ‘Call Full Time On Hate’ which raised awareness of hate entering the game as well as promoting the inclusive work football and clubs are doing.

We believe that the only way to combat hate is to continually promote the good work being done to promote inclusion, as well as highlight areas of discrimination which need to be challenged.

  • Why is it important for groups to work together and be seen working together?

It is essential that groups continue to work together to share experiences of hate crime across the country.

Through shared experiences, we can find common ground on what is the best practices with dealing with hate as well as encouraging a warm and welcoming environment for people for all walks of life.

  • Why is it essential for communities to maintain vigilance against hatred, intolerance and prejudice?

As we have seen in recent times, it is vital that communities remain united so they can remain vigilant against all prejudice which may occur within their environment.

It is the same for football where ‘Kick It Out’, alongside the football authorities, must stay vigilant to any discrimination which rises in the stands or in the grassroots game.

Huffington Post & Jewish News – Media Partners for the No2H8 Crime Awards

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We are proud to announce the media partnership of the Huffington Post and the Jewish News with the No2H8 Crime Awards which will be taking place in October.

Both media partners will be highlighting award winners and the No2H8 Crime Awards now has 16 national partners who are supporting this annual event to honour those individuals and organisations working against hatred, intolerance and prejudice.

Both the Huffington Post and the Jewish News will also be attending the evening of the awards and over 200 people are expected to attend and celebrate award nominees and those who are successful in being honoured with an award.

Lastly, the Judging Panel will be meeting in the next few weeks to sift through the numerous public nominations that we have received.