(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE)

ANJOOL MALDE AWARDS 2024 - Celebrating the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) Awards Centenary

This, the 15th Anniversary of Anjool's passing, sees 12 more remarkable young individuals winning Anjool Maldé awards. Set up in 2010 as a legacy to Anjool Maldé (1984-2009) - Jools to his friends - the Trust makes annual awards across 6 categories with prize money to a selection of UK’s talented best young individuals with a special edge to their achievements. The Awards encourage all young individuals to 'do well, do good' in their lives and careers.

Innovation & Design Awards

2024 also marks the 100th year of the Royal Society of Arts' (RSA) wonderful Design Awards. See the journey through the work of Anjool Maldé Centenary Design Award Winner Rachel Cartledge's short animation here.

The Trust had great pleasure joining the centenary celebrations by placing its prestigious Young Innovator Award with the RSA and to offer an extra Centenary Design Award. Going forward, we hope to reposition our annual Innovator Award to align with RSA's exciting Design for Life/RSA Spark Initiative launched at the July Ceremony. RSA: “The RSA are grateful to AMMT for their support to our 100th Student Design Awards. We were very proud to deliver the Young Innovators Award on their behalf and we look forward to continuing our collaboration as we launch RSA Spark.”

2024 AWARD WINNERS

YOUNG DESIGNER

Anjool Maldé Young Centenary Designer Award (Hosts: RSA)

Winner: Rachel Cartledge (Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland)

For: From The Ground-Up - a multimedia animation showcasing the innovation of previous Student Design Award winners as individual artworks within the walls of the iconic RSA house in London.

PHOTO 1: Winner Rachel Cartledge with Gemma Shaw (from the Trust) and Andrew Grant RDI (Guest Speaker at RSA Awards Ceremony). Photo courtesy RSA-Maja Smiejkowska

Judges praised Rachel’s in-depth research and analysis, as well as the mixed method approach to animation and the creativity she exhibited. RSA staff tasked with deciding the Anjool Maldé Centenary Design Award voted for Rachel, citing how her storytelling brought to life the rich history of the design awards.

Rachel: “I think the award is a great thing because it allows young people’s work like mine to receive recognition. I also think it’s great because the prize money enables me to pursue my design career further and grow as a designer! I am going to use the award money to go towards a new laptop so I can develop my motion graphics skills outside university.” (Rachel Cartledge: Website | Instagram)

YOUNG INNOVATOR

Anjool Maldé Young Innovator Award (Hosts: RSA)

Winner: Tess Taylor (Arts University Bournemouth, UK)

For: Terra Hex - An AI soil sensor and app that promotes regenerative agriculture and accurate fertilisation to diminish farmers’ contribution to climate change while fostering community-led mitigation of climate challenges.

PHOTO 2: Winner Tess Taylor with Gemma Shaw (from the Trust) and Andrew Grant RDI (Guest Speaker at RSA Awards Ceremony). Photo courtesy RSA-Maja Smiejkowska.

Judges praised Tess’s professional presentation at the interview stage of the judging process and were impressed with her knowledge on the subject matter, how she presented her work, and addressed difficult questions. They described Terra Hex as a convincing project, which was viable and innovative. Quote from judging panel: “There is a lot of excitement about artificial intelligence these days, but Tess Taylor demonstrates what all AI innovations require: keen knowledge of the issue at hand, and a pragmatic solution.”

Tess: “I am very grateful to have been awarded the Young Innovator of the Year Award. This

recognition was unexpected but has provided me with reassurance and motivation regarding my design, Terra Hex, and future projects that aim to promote positive social and environmental impact. The award, along with the prize money, will significantly benefit my creative design journey, empowering me to continue innovating and making a positive difference.” (Tess Taylor: Website)

YOUNG JOURNALIST

Anjool Maldé Journalism Award 2024 (Hosts: Film & Broadcast Production QUB, Belfast)

Winners: Louise Simms and Sarah Morrison (1st year Broadcast Production)

For their project: Audio Package about Search and Rescue

PHOTO 3: Winners Louise Simms (left) and Sarah Morrison (right) with Frank Delaney (Awards Convenor). Photo courtesy QUB.

Frank Delaney (Awards Convenor): "As an invaluable award to reward student achievement - open to all students across the Film & Broadcast Production programmes, both undergraduate and postgraduate - it was an extraordinary achievement that this year it was given to two students in their first year." Judges: "This project is an excellent output that speaks to the wider community and addresses mental health issues. It shows an interdisciplinary approach to broadcast production by looking at how broadcast can be operationalised in social cultural contexts with a particular focus on health and wellbeing of citizen. It was exceptionally produced and crafted and displays a strong understanding of narrative creation and productions techniques."

Louise Simms: "I am delighted to have received the Anjool Maldé award for our piece on K9 Search and Rescue NI. To not only be able to share the work of such an incredible organisation, but to also be recognised for it so early in my university career is an absolute honour. I feel incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to shine light on important stories like this one and motivated to continue doing so throughout the rest of my career."

Sarah Morrison: "I was so thrilled to find out that we had won the Anjool Maldé Journalism Award, particularly as a first-year student. We produced this audio feature story for our Broadcast Storytelling module which involved interviewing a community hero. Listening to our interviewee Gabriel, I learnt so much about the reality for the volunteers of K9 Search and Rescue, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the prevalence of individuals struggling with mental health battles. Through my experience producing this audio story and by winning this award, I feel inspired to continue to tell the stories of others in the future."

YOUNG MUSICIAN

Anjool Maldé Jazz Prize (Hosts: Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff - RWCMD)

Winner: Tiggy (Antigone) Blackwell

PHOTO 4: Winner Tiggy Blackwell with Head of Jazz Dr Andrew Bain. Photo courtesy RWCMD.

Judge Andrew Bain (Head of Jazz): "Antigone Blackwell is thoroughly deserving of the 2024 Anjool Maldé Jazz Prize. She is a first-rate player and improviser, and her extra-curricular dedication to the school - in scheduling and announcing AmserJazzTime for the past three years, in particular, is exemplary, and above and beyond her role as a jazz student."

RWCMD: Tim Rhys-Evans (Director of Music): "Tiggy organises our popular AmserJazzTime events - weekly free performances fully curated and performed by our Jazz students, creating an accessible, musical experience for the people of Cardiff, and inviting our campus to act as a welcoming, social hub - every week. We are very grateful for the support of The Anjool Malde Jazz Prize which is enabling us to recognise, and congratulate, our Jazz students for their devotion to their craft, and our accessible performance programme. Llongyfarchiadau (Congratulations) Tiggy!" (AmserJazzTime concert with Award Presentation https://youtu.be/OywYIXygTIY?t=2011)

Tiggy: “I feel extremely honoured and grateful to be the inaugural winner at RWCMD of ‘The Anjool Maldé Jazz Prize’. Receiving this award has given me the confidence to further develop my trombone playing as much as possible after graduating from The RWCMD, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for my music career. I’d also like to continue my dedication to jazz by organising events and concerts to showcase the talent in this industry, as well as encouraging younger people to get involved in making music.” (Tiggy Blackwell https://www.tiggyblackwell.com/)

YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHER

Anjool Maldé Photography Award

(Sponsor: Reuben Kench. Hosts: Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland)

Winner: Blair Kemp

PHOTO 5: Winner Blair Kemp with Lei Cox (Head of Photography) and Charmaine Toh (Senior Curator, Tate). Photo courtesy Napier. PHOTO 6: 'Freya', Blair Kemp Portfolio, photo courtesy Blair Kemp.

Judges: Charmaine Toh (Senior Curator, Tate): “Blair demonstrated a genius in poetic editorial flow through beautifully sequenced imaging.” Lei Cox (Head of Photography): “Blair has consistently made fantastic work thorough his four years of studying with us. He won the Young Persons Scottish Portrait Award whilst starting his second year, and he has made a wonderful sequence of subtly connecting images for his degree show. A very worthy winner of the Anjool Maldé Young Photographer of the Year at Edinburgh Napier University.”

Blair: "I feel honoured to have received the Anjool Maldé Young Photographer of the Year prize. The funds will help me to further develop my artistic practise within the photographic medium, subsidising the cost of travel and materials such as colour film, processing, and printing. I’m extremely grateful to the Anjool Maldé Memorial Trust for supporting and facilitating young people." (Blair Kemp: https://www.instagram.com/blairrkemp/)

YOUNG SCHOLARS

Anjool Maldé Scholarship (Hosts: St Peter's College, Oxford)

Winners: Martha Sainty (Geography), Aman de Silva (Chemistry), Grace Hall (Music), Long (Rhonda) Tse (Biochemistry), Gabriella Moscona (Engineering)

PHOTO 7: Winners (L-R) Martha, Aman, Grace, Rhonda, Gabriella with St Peter's Staff. Photo courtesy St Peter’s College (SPC).

Brett de Gaynesford (SPC Director of Development): "This year's five awardees have not only demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, but also a remarkable commitment to supporting their peers. It is heartwarming to see that Anjool's legacy - his spirit of excellence, hard work, kindness and care for the community - continues to inspire a new generation of St Peter's students every year. Thank you for making this possible."

YOUNG SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR

Anjool Maldé Young Social Enterpreneur Award

(Sponsor and Host: Tom Latchford, Founder/Chair Localgiving Foundation)

Winner: Marco Tenconi for Rhyze Mushrooms Co-operative (https://rhyzemushrooms.org/)

PHOTO 8: Winner Marco Tenconi with Award. Courtesy self

Judge Becca Sweetman (Executive & Team Coach https://www.beccasweetman.com/): “I’m excited to select Rhyze Mushrooms as the winner of the Anjool Maldé Young Social Entrepreneur Award. It was inspiring to learn about all the different ways they’re having an impact from locally grown food, to using food waste that would have gone to landfill and creating a community of mushroom enthusiasts. In a tight knit contest, the things that made them stand out were the mix of impact, scale already achieved to date and the business model, providing the potential for future growth.”

Marco: "I'm really grateful and proud to receive this generous award from the Anjool Maldé Memorial Trust in recognition of the work I have carried out through Rhyze Mushrooms. Growing food in our communities and valuing the hard work of food growers is increasingly important as extreme climatic change threatens our food supplies. We need radical and creative solutions to growing more food, more sustainably and it's really exciting that our project has received recognition through this award. As a community project and worker's co-operative, everything we do at Rhyze Mushrooms is rooted in principles of collaboration and mutual aid."

CLOSING COMMENTS

Melissa Holloway (Anjool's university contemporary and loyal supporter of the Trust, the Founder/CEO of SmartStart Health): "Fifteen years is a milestone - with so many incredibly talented young individuals showered with Awards over the years! I've asked myself what Jools would have said about my start-up endeavours. And the answer would have been the same - 'Go for it!' as he would always encourage me with my next big idea."

Paul Williams (Anjool's college contemporary and Trust Advisor): "2024 marks the 15th Anniversary of Anjool's passing and it is a genuine pleasure to acknowledge the great work done by the Trust as a legacy to Jools. While warmly congratulating all the winners featuring above as well as past ones - we have reached the milestone of 170 award winners this year - it is a particular pleasure to thank everyone, on behalf of his friends and family, who have played and continue to play an important role in this mission. Our grateful thanks to all the supporters, sponsors and well-wishers. And the very best wishes to all the Winners as they continue to thrive in their chosen fields."

-ENDS-

NOTES:

• Press Release distribution courtesy Pressat (pressat.co.uk) - with grateful thanks
• Anjool Maldé Awards Press Contact – Gemma Shaw (gemshaw@hotmail.com)
• Anjool Maldé Memorial Trust (www.anjool.org)
• Napier Degree Show (Photography): https://www.napierdegreeshow.co.uk/photography-3
• Localgiving Social Entrepreneur 2024 Award post - here