NEWS
Diana Award for St. Mary’s Students
The Bambisanani Partnership is delighted to announce that fourteen St. Mary's Menston Year 13 students have been honoured with a Diana Award.
The Bambisanani Partnership is delighted to announce that fourteen St. Mary's Menston Year 13 students have been honoured with a Diana Award.
Photo: FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: BBC Reporter Danielle Hewson, Chris Chavez-Cronin, Niall Hogan, Jessica Carroll, Elliot Mulligan, Dominique Cunningham, Mitchell Lofthouse, Joseph Copsey, Lucy Tindale, Benedict Cheetham, Thomas Brady, Diana Award INSPIRE Leeds Event, 15 July 2016
INSPIRE Leeds Event gallery (197 photos)
Thomas Brady, Jessica Carroll, Chris Chavez-Cronin, Ben Cheetham, Marienn Collins, Joseph Copsey, Dominique Cunningham, Will Giles, Niall Hogan, Hannah Jowett, Mitchell Lofthouse, Elliot Mulligan, Rebecca Still and Lucy Tindale were awarded the Diana Champion Volunteer Award for their work in South Africa as part of the Bambisanani Partnership. The students visited the country during the summer of 2015 and were responsible for mentoring young leaders from Mnyakanya High School through the Bambisanani Leadership Award. In addition, they also taught at the school and together with Mnyakanya students, were responsible for organising community reading and sports festivals. The St. Mary’s students also worked at Ntolwane Primary School and Zulufadder Orphanage.
Since 1999, over 47,000 young people have been recognised with a Diana Award for making an outstanding difference in their communities’ across the globe and continuing Princess Diana’s legacy. With the support of HRH Prince William and HRH Prince Harry, the Diana Award aims to inspire and recognise social action in young people by going beyond its Awards programme with youth led initiatives that empower young people to achieve their full potential and make a difference.
““The Diana Award is proud to recognise incredible young people like the St. Mary’s students who have the confidence and courage to stand up for what they believe. The Diana Award is presented to inspirational young people who work to improve the lives of others in their schools and communities. With a growing network of over 47,000 Award Holders, we are building a force of young people who are committed to taking actions and improving the lives of others.”
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““We at St. Mary’s are extremely proud of the students. The Diana Award will encourage them to continue their fantastic work and will hopefully inspire others to make a difference in the community. The students were delighted to receive an award in recognition of their work.””
St. Mary's pupils receive Diana Award December 2014
St. Mary’s Menston is delighted to announce that the Bambisanani Partnership has yet again been publicly honoured with the Diana Award
St. Mary’s Menston is delighted to announce that the Bambisanani Partnership has yet again been publicly honoured with the Diana Award
The Diana Award is a legacy to Princess Diana’s belief that young people have the power to change the world for the better. Since 1999, the Diana Award has recognised over 42,000 young people who have made a positive difference to the lives of others and their communities. The Diana Award believe that young people should be: encouraged for their contributions to society, empowered to reach their full potential and they should be engaged in social action as early in life as possible.
St. Mary's pupils awarded the Diana Champion Volunteer Award for their work in South Africa as part of the Bambisanani Partnership:
Beth Cotton
Anna Evans
Myles Hanlon
Megan Haskins
Helena Hunt
Megan Ireton-Bourke
Olivia Leonard
James Smith
Emily Sutcliffe
Eleanor Thompson
Bethany Tindall
Caroline Turnbull
Karl Verspyck
Jonathan Vincent
The students visited the country during the summer and were responsible for mentoring young leaders from Mnyakanya High School through the Bambisanani Leadership Award. In addition, they also taught at the school and together with Mnyakanya students, were responsible for organising community reading and sports festivals. The St. Mary’s students also worked at Ntolwane Primary School and Zulufadder Orphanage.
The group were presented with their Award at the recent prestigious Diana Award ‘Celebrate Young Heroes’ Ceremony held at Leeds United Football Club.
The event was covered on regional television:
Diana Awards Celebrate Young People who Make a Difference [ITV.COM]
““We at St. Mary’s are extremely proud of the group who were awarded The Diana Award. The Award will encourage them to continue their work and will hopefully inspire others to volunteer in their schools and communities. The whole group is delighted to recfeive an award in recognition of their commitment to helping others.””
Once Award Holders receive the Award they join the Diana Network, a programme opening doors to work experience, volunteering and campaigning whilst training young people in employability and social action skills.
Young people can also join the Anti-Bullying Ambassadors Programme which trains young people across the UK and Ireland to become Anti-Bullying Ambassadors in their schools or communities; helping to prevent bullying and ensure everyone is happy and safe online and offline.
The Training and Mentoring Programme gives Award Holders who have achieved something remarkable themselves to become Youth Mentors to disadvantaged young people.
““The Diana Award is proud to recognise young volunteers, such as the group from St. Mary’s, who have the confidence and courage to stand up for what they believe. The Diana Champion Volunteer Award is presented to inspirational young people who have made a positive difference in the communities. With a growing network of over 42,000 Award Holders, we are building a force of young people who are committed to take social action and improve our communities.”
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Award in memory of princess is presented to school’s pupil [WHARFEDALE OBSERVER]
Award in memory of princess is presented to school’s pupil [ILKLEY GAZETTE]
St. Mary's and Mnyakanya pupils receive Diana Award March 2014
Fourteen students from St. Mary’s Menston and twenty seven students from Mnyakanya High School in rural Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa have received the prestigious Diana Award for their collaboration through the Bambisanani Partnership
Fourteen students from St. Mary’s Menston and twenty seven students from Mnyakanya High School in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa have received the prestigious Diana Award for their collaboration through the Bambisanani Partnership
The Diana Award was established in the UK in 1999 in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, as a legacy to her belief in the power of young people to change the world. The British Prime Minister David Cameron is a Patron of the Diana Award.
The International Diana Award was launched in 2011; it is in keeping with the remarkable charitable work that Princess Diana herself pioneered all around the world. Recipients are young people from across the globe who are committed to helping others and improving their communities. International Award holders include volunteers, fundraisers, campaigners and those who have overcome adversity.
Mnyakanya High School are in partnership with St. Mary’s, Menston. For the past seven years the two schools have worked together as the Bambisanani Partnership, using sport as a catalyst to promote education, health, leadership and global citizenship. Bambisanani is the Zulu word for working hand in hand and encapsulates the collaboration between the two schools. The Bambisanani Partnership has gained international acclaim for its work and this year students involved met Prince William at a Diana Award celebration event.
Over the last year, the Young Leaders from Mnyakanya School have volunteered to work in their community with the ‘Child Care’ organisation caring and supporting victims of abuse or those with HIV infection. The students have developed peer mentoring and community programmes as well as liaising with other agencies that can support the victims. Their work has had a remarkable impact which is widely acknowledged and high regarded by the local community.
“We are so excited that our learners have gained the wonderful Diana Award. Last year we were the first school in South Africa to gain the award and this just shows what an inspiration that has proved to be. The Diana Award reinforces our Bambisanani Partnership which is an inspiration to us in so many ways. My learners too are inspirational, they have developed leadership skills and want to do something for their own community. They are positive and show love and empathy to others, they do not discriminate and they are not judgemental. Their strength and determination is remarkable, they are inspirational leaders who are changing the lives of others.”
Mrs PK Zondi, who has coordinated the volunteering at Mnyakanya School
Fourteen students from St. Mary’s have also received the Diana Award for their work in South Africa. The students visited the country last summer and were responsible for mentoring young leaders from Mnyakanya through the Bambisanani Leadership Award. In addition to this they also taught at the school and together with Mnyakanya students, were responsible for organising community reading and sports festivals. The St. Mary’s students also worked at Ntolwane Primary School and Zulufadder Orphanage.
“The Nkandla area of South Africa where we work, is extremely poor with one of the highest HIV/Aids rates in the world. Education and developing young leaders is key to breaking this cycle of poverty, deprivation and ignorance. I am so proud of the young leaders/volunteers from Mnyakanya and St. Mary’s. In a world that seems keen to focus on the negativity of young people, they are wonderful role models who are determined to make a difference in the most difficult of circumstances. They are all very honoured to receive the Diana Award.”
David Geldart, Assistant Headteacher from St. Mary’s and founder of the Bambisanani partnership
“The Bambisanani Partnership is a wonderful collaboration between St. Mary’s, Menston and Mnyakanya High School. We are delighted that the inspirational young people involved have been awarded the Diana Champion Volunteer Award for their dedication and passion to improving the lives of others. With a growing network of over 40,000 Award holders, we are building a force of young people who are committed to take social action and improve our communities.”
Tessy Ojo, Executive Director at the Diana Award
Mnyakanya students who received the International Diana Award:
• Holisizwe Zuma
• Xolile Makhoba
• Nokubonga Khanyile
• Ntombiningi Bhengu
• Lungelo Dludia
• Nonjabulo Mikhize
• Lungelo Mkhize
• Bonginkosi Thusi
• Malusi Zuma
• Sanele Ngcobo
• Minenhle Mikhize
• Jabulile Biyela
• Cebisile Mkhize
• Nothando Magwaza
• Nokuthobeka Ngcobo
• Thandokuhle Ngcoba
• Sakhile Mabusela
• Ayanda Mkhize
• Sabatha Blose
• Nosihle Shange
• Philile Luswazi
• Siphesihle Shange
• Minenhle Zuma
• Noxolo Dube
• Mluleki Biyela
• Nzuzo Khanyile
• Zinhle Zondi
St. Mary’s Menston students who received the Diana Champion Volunteer Award:
• Kavindu Appuhamy
• Elizabeth Banks
• Ryan Clarke
• Patrick Connolly
• Emily Fieldhouse
• Michael Jones
• Freya O’Connor
• Jade Rigby Williams
• James Riley
• Hannah Smith
• Chloe Tindale
• Madeline Tysoe
• Charlie Walker
Pupils honoured for a global partnership [WHARFEDALE OBSERVER]