On Saturday evening (16 November), we hosted the unforgettable ELEVATE CJS 2024 graduation, a joyous celebration of leadership, resilience, and achievement in the criminal justice sector. Family, friends, and colleagues from across the sector came together to honour this year’s cohort of Leaders.
The event opened with a performance from Sandra Johnson, 2023 ELEVATE CJS Leader, who returned to grace the stage for the second year running. The evening was hosted by Tasha Cowperthwaite, ELEVATE CJS Project Manager who guided the audience through an evening of reflection, inspiration and celebration.
Annette So, CEO of the Criminal Justice Alliance, opened the ceremony with a warm address, followed by a powerful keynote speech from Paula Harriott, CEO at Unlock and an esteemed member of the ELEVATE CJS Advisory Group. Paula’s speech highlighted the importance of amplifying lived experience to drive systemic change.
A key moment of the evening was the Leader Panel, facilitated by Sandra Barefoot of The Forgiveness Project, where Leaders shared their transformative journeys over the past nine months, emphasising the programme’s role in fostering growth, connectivity, and impact.
ELEVATE CJS Leader Panel hosted by Sandra Barefoot
Spotlighting excellence: The first-ever ELEVATE CJS Leader Awards
This year saw the inaugural ELEVATE CJS Leader Awards, which celebrated the outstanding contributions and achievements of the cohort. Voted by their peers, the winners are as follows:
Leader’s Leader Award
- Winner: Jazz Singh
- Highly commended: Oluseun Sowole
Peer-Mentor Award
- Winner: Roisin Keville
- Highly commended: Warren Roache
Collaborative Leader Award
- Winner: Sandy Singh
- Highly commended: Tawana Blake
Resilient Leader Award
- Winner: Marie Baldeo
- Highly commended: Aaron Anthony
Transformational Leader Award
- Winner: Roisin Keville
- Highly commended: Meka Beresford
Visionary Leader Award
- Winner: Tawana Blake
- Highly commended: Bob Mugisha
Standout Moment of 2024
- Winner: Bob Mugisha
- Highly commended: Oluseun Sowole
Two exceptional leaders, Marie Baldeo and Aaron Anthony, were honoured with the ELEVATE CJS Exceptional Leader Award, recognising their extraordinary contributions and dedication to the programme.
Leader's Leader Award: Jazz Singh (Winner) and Oluseun Sowole (Highly Commended)
Peer-Mentor Award: Roisin Keville (Winner) and Warren Roache (Highly Commended)
Collaborative Leader Award: Tawana Blake (Highly Commended)
Resilient Leader Award: Marie Baldeo (Winner) and Aaron Anthony (Highly Commended)
Transformational Leader Award: Roisin Keville (Winner)
Visionary Leader Award: Tawana Blake (Winner) and Bob Mugisha (Highly Commended)
Standout Moment of 2024 Award: Bob Mugisha (Winner) and Oluseun Sowole (Highly Commended)
Creative reflections and performances
As the evening progressed, the Leaders showcased their creative talents through spoken word reflections, offering a heartfelt exploration of their journeys. The night concluded with a dynamic performance by Aaron Anthony, also known as Ace Waves.
We extend a heartfelt thanks to the ELEVATE CJS Advisory Group for their support and guidance throughout the programme. This celebration was made possible by the generous support of our sponsors, Cranstoun and St Giles Trust.
All photos were captured by Leon Palmer, you can contact Leon directly for photography support at: mackpalmer27@gmail.com.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this extraordinary evening. Your presence underscored the spirit of collaboration and the shared commitment to driving change in the criminal justice sector.
