Awards Night 2026 Celebrates our Community Heroes!
AFC Wimbledon Foundation was proud to host another unforgettable Awards Night at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, bringing together partners, supporters, participants, staff, trustees, and the wider community for an evening filled with celebration, inspiration, and recognition.
Hosted brilliantly by sports broadcaster Faye Carruthers, the evening shone a light on the incredible people who continue to make a positive difference across our community every single week through the Foundation’s programmes and initiatives.
From emotional stories and standing ovations to moments of reflection and celebration, the evening perfectly captured the power of community and the impact football can have beyond the pitch.
To kickstart the evening, the Foundation’s CEO Phil Hastings reflected on another incredible year of growth and impact across the organisation. Speaking passionately about the Foundation’s commitment to supporting hard-to-reach communities across Merton and Wandsworth, Phil highlighted the launch of several new initiatives over the past 12 months, including Healthy Hearts, Future Dons, Primary School Mentoring, and the Foundation’s oversight of AFC Wimbledon’s Girls Pathway.
Phil also celebrated the continued growth of the Foundation’s existing programmes, alongside the fantastic work of the Fundraising & Engagement team through initiatives such as the Dons Cycle Challenge, Christmas Appeal, and upcoming Wombles Walk. These collective efforts have helped the Foundation reach a historic milestone of over £1 million in income during the 2024/25 financial year for the very first time.
Looking ahead, Phil shared the Foundation’s ambition to continue expanding its impact within the local community, including plans for a dedicated Health and Community Hub at the stadium to further support health, wellbeing, education, and community provision across the boroughs.
Let’s reflect back on our amazing award winners:
Youth Achievement Award - Vicente chew
Presented by Gary Parker, Managing Director - MidexPro.
Since the age of just three, Vicente has been growing his hair with the sole purpose of donating it to be made into wigs for children battling cancer. Every year, he donates his hair to help children regain confidence and feel like themselves again during incredibly difficult times.
Over the past year, Vicente has gone even further by combining this act of kindness with fundraising to support AFC Wimbledon Foundation and our work across the local community. His compassion, selflessness, and determination to make the world a kinder place at such a young age made him a truly deserving winner.
Outstanding Volunteer Award - Luke Reeves
Presented by, Lauren Troisi, Director at Nurse Next Door.
Luke’s journey with AFC Wimbledon Foundation has been incredibly inspiring. Arriving as a shy and nervous young person, Luke has grown into a confident leader, dedicated volunteer, and fantastic role model within our community programmes.
Through his passion for sport and love for AFC Wimbledon, Luke has developed the confidence to support and engage young people across a range of sessions and events, always bringing positivity, energy, and encouragement to those around him.
Women & Girls’ Empowerment Award – Samira Ossoble
Recieved by our Senior Officer for Women & Girls’, Kate Wells & presented by our newsest Trustee, Claire Shapland.
Samira’s journey is a fantastic example of the impact the LeaD ON programme can have on young leaders within our community.
After joining the programme as a participant, Samira has progressed into a casual coaching role within the Foundation, supporting sessions across the Boys Player Development Centre while also gaining experience on the Girls Pathway. Currently working towards her UEFA C Licence, Samira continues to inspire young girls through her positivity, passion, and commitment to coaching.
Special Recognition Award - Karen Peck
Presented by Mikey Haswell, ex-Don’s defender & AFC Wimbledon Ambassador.
Karen Peck has played an invaluable role within AFC Wimbledon Foundation for over a decade, serving as both a trusted advisor and Trustee since 2017.
Through her leadership, guidance, and commitment to safeguarding, Karen has helped shape the Foundation into the organisation it is today. Her warmth, professionalism, and unwavering support for staff, participants, and the wider community have left a lasting legacy that will continue to be felt for many years to come.
The evening also paused to hear two powerful personal stories from participants whose lives have been positively impacted through Foundation programmes.
Halfway through the evening, we spoke to Phil Friend alongside Faye Carruthers about his involvement in the Foundation’s Parkinson’s Walking Football and Active Ageing programmes, sharing how being part of the sessions has supported both his physical and mental wellbeing while creating a strong sense of community and belonging.
Ayat Aoun reflected on her journey through the Premier League Kicks programme, speaking openly about the confidence, support, and opportunities the Foundation has provided her over the years. Both conversations were a powerful reminder of the real and lasting impact the Foundation continues to have across the local community.
bright future Award - Zachiri Anang
Presented by Judie Obeya, Communities Manager at Clarion Futures.
Zac’s journey through the Foundation’s Street Soccer Academy has been nothing short of inspiring. Joining the programme through the DIVERT initiative, Zac embraced the opportunity to make positive changes in his life and quickly became a leader amongst his peers.
Throughout the programme, Zac showed incredible resilience, positivity, and determination, supporting those around him while developing key life and employability skills. Hoping to one day become a community coach!
Community Impact Award – John joseph
Presented by Ayat Aoun, PL Kicks Participant.
Over nearly 20 years with the Metropolitan Police, JJ has become a hugely respected figure within both AFC Wimbledon Foundation and the wider community through his role as Premier League Kicks Coordinator.
His dedication to building trust and positive relationships with young people has had a lasting impact across countless lives. Through programmes such as Premier League Kicks and Street Soccer Academy, JJ has helped break down barriers, change perceptions, and create opportunities for young people across London.
Our Deputy CEO, Paul Munro, talked about how powerful and important fundraising is to Foundations like ours, and encouraged our community to donate to our auction and raffle in order to raise vital funds for our programmes supporting thousands of people every week.
Thank you to all who donated before & on the night, your contributions are vital for us to keep supporting our local community.
The evening also gave us an opportunity to reflect on another hugely successful year for the Foundation, highlighting the continued growth of our programmes and the thousands of people we support every single week across our local community. It was also the chance to network, meet new people & really applaud the fantastic work the Foundation are doing, and the award winners who really deserved the recognition.
A huge thank you goes to our headline partner MidexPro for supporting the evening, alongside our sponsors Clarion Futures, FIM, Nurse Next Door.
We would also like to thank RG Jones for their fantastic technical support throughout the event. Last but certainly not least, to Enable & Wimbledon Tennis Club for their very generous auction prizes.
Special thanks must also go to all of our award presenters, local council representatives, our wonderful guests, and of course Faye Carruthers for hosting such a fabulous evening and helping bring the stories of our community to life.
Most importantly, thank you to every member of the Foundation community. The positivity, togetherness, and support shown throughout the evening perfectly reflected everything the Foundation stands for.
It was a fantastic evening and a proud reminder of the incredible work taking place across our local community every single day.