Matt Lucas and Rob Rinder help mark 20th year of Alan Senitt Memorial Trust
300 guests honour much loved and inspirational community leader and his legacy of standing up for others
Comedian Matt Lucas and broadcaster Rob Rinder helped mark the 20th year of the Alan Senitt Memorial Trust at a special fundraising event on Sunday evening, attended by more than 300 people.
The evening raised more than £8,000 to support the Trust’s work, including the Alan Senitt Upstanders leadership programme, which empowers young people to develop confidence, leadership skills and the courage to stand up for others.
During the evening, the audience heard from Abi Wander, Streetwise project manager, who runs the programme, as well as four students from Yavneh College in Borehamwood, who are part of this year’s cohort.
Whilst the students shared their experiences, Wander spoke how the programme brings together Year 10 pupils from different faiths, backgrounds and communities and asks them “to do something remarkably simple, yet remarkably challenging: to listen, to lead and to act. Over the years, more than 2,000 young people have graduated from the programme, with schools and communities benefiting from young leaders dedicated to creating a culture of kindness and speaking out against inequality.”
Trust secretary Karen Senitt said: “I was privileged to organise such a special event in Alan’s memory. Matt and Rob delivered a stunning evening full of laughter.”
Chairperson of The Alan Senitt Memorial Trust, his sister Emma Senitt, said: “It was incredibly special to see over 300 people come together to support the Trust and to remember Alan. Twenty years on, it means so much that his legacy continues through the young people we support. We are deeply grateful to Matt and Rob for giving their time and helping make the evening such a success.”
Matt Lucas, a trust patron since its inception, said it “continues to do vital work in Alan’s name, and we were honoured to be asked to support it on Sunday.”
Further events will take place throughout the year marking the 20th anniversary of Alan’s legacy, including a team in the Maccabi Community Fun Run, a family and friends memory walk, and a memorial lecture, all continuing to raise support for the Trust’s work.
A much loved former student leader, one-time BBYO president and UJS chair, Senitt was murdered on 9 July 2006 at the age of 27, during a visit to Washington to work on an election campaign.
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