A PC and a youth worker from London, who founded a sports group to engage young people, have received Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s daily Points of Light award.
Michael Wallace is a Police Officer who works in community and youth engagement, and teamed up with Ashley Levien, a youth worker, to build better relationships between young people from diverse communities and police through the power of football. Together, they delivered their first-ever football tournament in Croydon Borough in 2016 in support of the ‘African Caribbean Trust Charity’, before going on to create ‘KickOff@3’.
Michael and Ashley work alongside ‘KickOff@3’s’ youth volunteers and since its creation, the project has expanded to host a range of other sports tournaments, including in swimming, cycling, and basketball. Over the last 5 years, they have evolved nationally, as well as raising £45,000 and supporting over 50 charities, who promote health and well-being in young people. Michael and Ashley said: “Ashley and I are humbled and most proud to receive the Prime Minister’s Points of Lights Award. We would like to thank our families, friends and others who have continued to tirelessly support our charity work since we co-founded ‘Kickoff@3’.
“We wish to leave a legacy with our voluntary work, for young people to follow whilst they gain invaluable life experiences and employment opportunities.”
Michael and Ashley are the 2098th and 2099th recipients of the Points of Light award, which was first launched in April 2014 to recognise outstanding individuals making a positive change within their community and inspiring others. Each weekday, someone, somewhere in the country is selected to receive the award to celebrate their remarkable achievements.
