The Anjool Maldé Memorial Trust is delighted to announce the winner of its Young Social Entrepreneur of the year 2025. As always with this special award, we’ve had to choose from a remarkable set of applicants showcasing the amazing work done in communities across the UK.

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. Since its launch 180+ of the UK's brightest and talented best graduate-age young adults had been rewarded for their exemplary achievements.

The winner of the Anjool Maldé Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2025, supported by Localgiving, is Colette Batten-Turner, CEO of Conversation Over Borders in Brighton, a CIC committed to supporting people fleeing war and persecution and ensuring they have a voice, and that the wider public can hear their stories. Their offering includes one-to-one online befriending, English classes, mental health support, digital access and inclusion.

Speaking at the announcement, judge Professor Ken Eason spoke glowingly of our winner: “Asylum seekers face many challenges as they seek to become established in the UK. ‘Conversations Over Borders’ offers individual tutoring, free English classes and group support for LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers, women and non-binary people, and young people. It also provides them with digital devices to enable them to take advantages of the many services available on-line. From modest beginnings 5 years ago, it has grown to be a national service supporting over 1,000 people. Its assessment of its impact contains much evidence of people becoming more competent in English, growing in confidence and feeling more socially connected in this country.”

“Many of the people it has helped have now become tutors in the scheme, helping those who have come after them. There is now a strong campaigning arm to the work, drawing attention, for example, to the unsafe nature of much of the accommodation offered to asylum seekers by the Home Office. Being a lonely and isolated asylum seeker in a foreign land must be a frightening experience and it is wonderful to see this important service providing practical and psychological support and empathy when it is most needed”, concluded Professor Eason.

A delighted Colette Batten-Turner – pictured above – told us on receiving the award: “I’m so honoured to receive the Anjool Maldé Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award. This recognition is not just for me, but for our whole team at Conversation Over Borders and the refugee communities we work alongside. At a time when displaced people in the UK face growing hostility, it means so much to see a vision of solidarity, care, and community-led change being celebrated. Through lived experience-led English classes, trauma-informed mental health and digital inclusion support, and bold campaigning for systemic change, we’re working to build a more inclusive and welcoming society. Thank you to the Anjool Maldé Trust for shining a light on the power of community.” 

Luke Upton, Head of Communications at Localgiving, added: “Many congratulations to Colette and all the team at Conversations Over Borders for being our 2025 winners. The standard of entry was once again very high, and our judge had to work hard to select our winner! The work that Conversation Over Borders is so important to their community and truly honours the memory of Anjool. The Localgiving Foundation is passionate about bringing recognition to the work of young people like Colette and Conversations Over Borders is a fantastic example of a project delivering positive and impactful results. We are delighted to help support them and their community with this award and look forward to following their progress!” 

-----> To learn more about the Anjool Maldé Memorial Trust and the other winners click here and for more on Conversations Over Borders click here .

-----> Read about our past winners, Rhyze Mushrooms (2024), Several Seats (2023) and Chamiah Dewey Fashion (2022).