Hackney youth project founder among finalists for Pride of Britain Awards

Pride of Britain finalist Janette Collins

Pride of Britain finalist Janette Collins

A youth worker who founded a social inclusion project in Hackney is among the finalists for this year’s Pride of Britain Awards.

Janette Collins is the founder of Crib, an initiative that helps young people find work and education and promotes awareness of gun and knife violence.

Collins said she was spurred on to start it because of her experiences during her youth, when she fell in with a gang and had a baby at the age of just 14.

After turning her own life around, she became a youth worker and started the Crib in 1999.

Its schemes include workshops, mentoring and school visits. The project also works with Hackney’s Integrated Gangs Unit, which comprises police and other agencies.

She will be attending a finalists’ reception at Speakers House at the House of Commons tomorrow night (Tuesday).

The Daily Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards is the biggest national event supporting “unsung heroes” and is sponsored by bank TSB.

The awards ceremony will take place on 31 October and will be hosted by Carol Vorderman.

Prince Charles, Prime Minister Theresa May, Team GB and more than a hundred stars will be taking part at the event, which will be screened the following night on ITV.