Student Groups winner

The Chilean Society

The Chilean Society started a campaign for the Chilean Electoral Service and Minister of Foreign Affairs to open a new polling station in Manchester.  The aim was to provide a closer alternative to Chileans living in northern England and Scotland, who have always had to travel to London to exercise their democratic right, because regulations state that people must cast their vote in person.

Following the society’s campaign and their work with the Consulate to ensure that everything was in order, the new polling station opened in December 2023 for the Chilean referendum on their constitution.  The Society staffed the polling station and gave hundreds of people the opportunity to save time and money by voting in Manchester. 

2nd Place

First Language Project

The project team used their bilingual skills to connect with the Manchester Tamil community through the Manchester Tamil School, and empowered pupils, parents and teachers in oral health knowledge and helped them improve their oral hygiene behaviour, becoming mentors for the local Tamil students.  They used interactive talks and role play, as well as producing leaflets in Tamil language.  They also regularly collected pre and post verbal and questionnaire-based data to evaluate their impact.

Building on this experience the team went on to develop a bilingual global oral healthcare programme for the war-affected Tamil community in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. 

3rd Place

Student Angels

Operating during the hours of 10pm until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights, volunteers patrol the Oxford Road corridor and city centre. Equipped with first aid kits and a Nitenet radio they support vulnerable individuals, providing first aid, safeguarding against physical and sexual assault, supporting those under the influence of drugs or alcohol and intervening in mental health crises.  They collaborate with the police, paramedics, fire service and security guards as well as other voluntary groups. 

All volunteers undergo comprehensive training, equipping them with the necessary skills to handle diverse challenges.