Our summer party was a truly memorable evening, bringing together 46 attendees to celebrate the incredible dedication of our volunteers and supporters.
We were honoured to be able to hold it at the Guildhall in Kingston, and to be joined by some very distinguished guests, including the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Councillor Noel Hadjimichael, accompanied by the Mayoress, Ms Carol Berliner, as well as Deputy Mayor, Councillor Sue Ansari, and her consort, Mr Jaseem Ansari.
The evening was a delightful mix of stories and laughter as staff, volunteers and the mayoral party spent quality time together.
With humour and warmth, the Mayor gave a speech where he expressed how happy he was to see so many passionate people working together to make Kingston a better place.
A highlight of the evening was an inspiring speech from Deputy Mayor Sue Ansari, who spoke movingly about LEAH’s vital work in the community. As a former ESOL teacher herself, she beautifully captured the transformative power of language learning, describing those life-changing moments when learners can finally understand their child’s school letter, speak confidently to their GP, or simply greet a neighbour without fear.
Her words perfectly encapsulated what makes our volunteer community so special.
“You, incredible tutors, give so much more than lessons. You give time. You give connection. And you help build a more compassionate, more inclusive Kingston for all of us”
Read her full speech here: In praise of LEAH.
Our new LEAH Volunteer and Training Manager, Anna Ciecko, said about the evening
“I was truly moved to be part of such a wonderful celebration. The evening, complete with delicious refreshments and heartfelt conversations, truly showcased the strong community spirit that defines LEAH. It is imperative to recognise our volunteers for their quiet, patient work that makes such a lasting impact on our learners’ lives”.