Unsung Heroes 2020: Ossett youth club volunteers and founder of Wakefield Street Kitchen among winners of annual awards

The awards are hosted each year by the Community Foundation for Wakefield District, and aim to celebrate the groups and individuals making a difference to people in need across the city and Five Towns.

Over the last month, Express readers have been invited to vote for the winners in two categories: key workers and volunteers.

Hundreds of entries were received, and the winners can now be revealed.

The Key Worker Unsung Heroes winner for 2020 is Anna Natasha Howard, founder of the Wakefield Street Kitchen.

And a dedicated team at Ossett’s Brickhouse Youth Club have won the Volunteer Unsung Heroes award.

Murray Edwards, director of the Community Foundation, said: “Over the last few weeks we have received over 500 votes and are delighted to announce that Vicky, Neil, Kate and Alison from Brickhouse Youth Club have won the Volunteering Award and Anna Natasha Howard from Wakefield Street Kitchen, has won the Key Worker Award.

“Thank you to the Wakefield Express and their readers, for taking the time to vote.

“It was very close, as all of the nominees were worthy winners and unselfishly played an important part in helping others, whether as a volunteer or a key worker.”

Anna Howard founded Wakefield Street Kitchen in 2018, when she began offering free, hot meals to people in need in Wakefield city centre.

During lockdown, the team of volunteers have also become a small foodbank, helping distribute food packages to vulnerable families.

Anna said: “We started with four tables and then it got bigger and bigger. We feed without judgement.

“At the time people kept saying there’s no need for you. But there is.

“I’m so proud of how far we’ve come, we’re a fully registered charity with a premises.

“Before we had the premises I was cooking everything from my kitchen. I was doing 100 meals on my own, dishing it up and getting it out.

“The community has just come behind us and supported us, it’s just incredible. The support I get is absolutely mindblowing.

“My team and I have worked tirelessly to make this happen and we will continue to keep feeding people in the community without judgement.”

Vicky, Neil, Kate and Alison have dedicated hundreds of hours to Brickhouse Youth Club, which is described as a “safe haven” for the children of Ossett.

As well as offering activities to keep teenagers occupied, the team supply hot food to young people in need.

They said: “This is such a lovely and unexpected surprise to have won the Unsung Heroes Volunteer Award.

“We were thrilled to have been nominated, but to actually win is truly amazing.

“It has been a very difficult year for so many people, and to receive this award for recognition of what we do with the young people in our community is humbling.

“We would like to say a very big thank you to everyone who has voted for us. We are looking forward to welcoming back our existing and new Youth Club members as soon as government guidelines permit.”

A one hour film, dedicated to the winners of the Unsung Heroes awards and hosted by veteran TV presenter Harry Gration, will premiere on the Community Foundation’s website and social media at 7pm on Thursday, January 14.

The Community Foundation for Wakefield District was founded in 2007, and has so far awarded more than £1.7 million pounds to charities, community groups and individuals in need.