We need hope, more than ever before!

In this year of hope, we need more people across society to give others hope, uplifting young Londoners, hit hardest by the pandemic and the worst recession in 300 years. Together, we can ensure the next generation finds the hope they need to thrive and lead the change our society desperately needs.

In 2008, whilst completing my undergraduate degree, I made a bold move to apply to join The Prince’s Trust ‘Stop the Knives Coalition’ as a young board member.

My application was driven by a personal frustration with the lack of progress on youth violence. I truly believed a young Londoner (like me), could unlock new solutions to the challenges young Londoner’s faced, in collaboration with senior leaders from The Prince’s Trust, Football Foundation, and the Rio Ferdinand Foundation.

I was unsuccessful but then discovered that the Damilola Taylor Trust picked up my rejected application and invited me to a meeting at London City Hall to discuss an opportunity to work with them instead. There, Gary Trowsdale the CEO presented me with an opportunity to build the Spirit of London Awards – a youth awards ceremony that had the vision of becoming the youth Oscars, shining a positive light on young London like never before.

The opportunity came with one caveat, I had to put aside my personal ambitions and seek to serve other young Londoner’s achieving great things in the capital.

I accepted and embarked on a life-changing opportunity, which involved; Representing the Damilola Taylor Trust on The Prince’s Trust Stop The Knives Coalition. Managing four 10 Downing Street receptions with two successive Prime Ministers. Staging iconic events at Alexandra Palace, Royal Albert Hall and the O2 Arena, attracting almost £800k investment into young London through brand partnerships with Barclays, PlayStation and Facebook amongst others in the process

Today, I build global brands and work to reshape the cities we live in through sustainable transportation. I am also a founder member of the Spirit of London Awards Foundation and looking forward to bringing back the awards in 2021

It was the Damilola Taylor Trust, that gave a young, unproven, Black and Asian Londoner, an opportunity and hope.

In this year of hope, we need more people across society to give others hope, uplifting young Londoners, hit hardest by the pandemic and the worst recession in 300 years.

Together, we can ensure the next generation finds the hope they need to thrive and lead the change our society desperately needs.

André Campbell FRSA MBA