Local Ealing charity Znaniye Foundation, which supports children and young people across the borough and recently received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, hosted two community events over the weekend, bringing together hundreds of young people, volunteers and families.
On Friday (20 June 2025), the foundation welcomed more than 220 students from Drayton Manor High School to its youth leadership conference Leading with Purpose: Civic Virtue in Action, funded by BBC Children in Need. The day featured over 30 guest speakers – many of them alumni – sharing personal stories across four key themes: the power of education, pathways and possibilities, relationships and reputation, and personal wellbeing.
Keynote speaker Jeremy Cook OBE, COO of King’s College London, encouraged students to “lead with purpose and a strong sense of civic virtue.”
Returning alumni included Milo Whittaker of The New York Times, Nazgol Esnaashari from Goldman Sachs and DJ and event producer Ismail Ansari. Mr Ansari reflected: “It was a blessing to be invited back to Drayton Manor. It’s quite surreal. I hope I educated and inspired students by sharing my journey, how I do what I love and why it’s so important to chase happiness and purpose. Life is too short to not love your work.”
The conference also saw local politicians, including Councillor Dr Aysha Raza and John Martin from Ealing Council, who joined in celebrating the day’s achievements.
Then on Saturday (21 June 2025) Znaniye’s third annual Ealing Fun Day at Ealing Green College took place. The event was funded by The National Lottery and hosted in partnership with Mercy Worldwide. Over 120 children aged 5–14 took part in a free day of arts and crafts, music, games, sports and competitions.
Evie Hill of Znaniye said: “This wasn’t just a fun weekend, it was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when communities come together. Every child was seen and valued, every meal lovingly prepared, and every activity run by passionate volunteers. Whether through leadership panels or creative play, we showed our young people that they matter and that they’re capable of greatness.”
