2019 Winner
Joan Campbell
Has devoted her life to helping families, young people and victims of crime, as well as helping to tackle the causes of gang violence.
Former probation officer Joan was the driving force behind a support group for parents who lost children through gang violence or whose children were at risk of joining gangs in the city.
The Birmingham Family Forum brought parents from opposing gangs in the area together.
She then founded Community Vision to support families in crisis and to work with victims of serious crime, including murder, hate crime, domestic violence and gang violence.
She says: “I might get a call that there has been a homicide. We will then get in touch with the families involved and offer our services including counselling.”
For youngsters involved in gangs, she feels society needs less judgement, and more compassion.
“We work with young black men in this situation. These are youngsters who don’t feel like they have any value. We need to stop labelling them and show them they do have value.”
She is suffering from lung cancer, and the after-effects of a stroke, but is continuing her work, supported by her son and daughters.