The Anjool Maldé Memorial Trust is delighted to announce the winner of its Young Social Entrepreneur of the year 2023. It’s been another extraordinary year of remarkable achievements across the United Kingdom, wonderfully showcased in our biggest ever year of entries.

The Trust, set up in 2010 as a legacy to Anjool Maldé (1984-2009), makes annual awards with prize money to a selection of UK’s talented best young individuals with a special edge to their achievements. 

The winner of the Anjool Maldé Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2023, supported by Localgiving, is Joan Oluwabusola Idowu, CEO and Founder of Several Seats, a community interest company based in Luton that aims to promote positive mental health in women from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Speaking at the announcement, judge Betsy Fore (@thebetsy4), a serial entrepreneur, the first Native American woman to raise a Series A and the co-founder of the Indigenous tech and entrepreneurial focussed nonprofit Natives Rising, stated: “I am so impressed with Joan’s impact she has built through art therapy and mental health support to empower minority women to thrive in their careers and life. The traction that Several Seats has achieved since launch is amazing and allowed thousands to lead a purposeful life filled with passion. I look forward to following the future impact the Several Seats programs and team will continue to make.”

A delighted Joan (@JoanIdowu) - pictured above - told us on receiving the award: “As a woman of colour with lived experience of my own mental health challenges, giving back to my community is not only a pleasure but an honour.  Several Seats have allowed me not only hear the untold stories of the women in my community but invite them to take a seat at the table to have their voices heard. I love what I do and feel inspired when our small changes make a huge impact. Thank you for the award and I look forward using the money to reach more community groups and grow our initiatives further. A huge thank you to the Anjool Maldé Memorial Trust and Localgiving for supporting our vision and the work we aim to do!”

Several Seats champions young women aged 18-30 years old with lived experience and strive to create a safe space for peer-to-peer support and learning, where women can finally have a seat at the table to explore the challenges of mental health. Joan and her team seek to inspire, empower, and motivate the future generation through various platforms, services and projects. They has something for everyone, from Mindfulness sessions to painting classes, swimming lessons and more!

Tom Latchford, Chairman of the Localgiving Foundation added: “I’m delighted that Several Seats was chosen to win the award, and such a relevant organisation to the times we live in and for honouring the memory of Anjool. Localgiving Foundation is passionate about bringing recognition to the inspiring work of young entrepreneurs tackling the social challenges of our times, and Several Seats is a shining example.”

Further awards were given to Young Innovator of the Year, Silvia Lin, for her AI-aided dementia rehab, Christopher Molloy scooped up Young Journalist, for his short film The Quiet, Uncredited Photographer, the Young Photographer awards were won by Rachel Draper (Commercial) and Rachel Marsh (Fine Art), the Jazz Prizes went to Zoe Lima Pascoal (drums), Anmol Mohara Darji (drums) and Cody Moss (piano) and Scholarships at St Peter’s College, Oxford were given to Reuben Leyland (Engineering), Tanya Watson (Chemistry), Marcus Wells (History), Emma Wiggetts (History) and Anna Williams (Geography).

Learn more about the Anjool Maldé Memorial Trust and the other winners here and Several Seats here.