Anthony and Tyrees are named as local heroes

Newham All Star Sports Academy has received the perfect early Christmas present with two members of the NASSA family being recognised as community champions.

Carry A Basketball Not A Blade (CABNAB) creator Anthony Okereafor and player Tyrees Garrod collected their awards on Thursday night at the coveted KeolisAmey Docklands Community Champion Awards 2016.

The awards, which are in their second year, celebrate individuals and groups in the communities served by London’s Docklands Light Railway.

Anthony said: “It is a great feeling to win an award, but we must not forget all of the young people who have lost their lives through knife crime and we have to carry on our work. My dream has always been to spread our CABNAB work all over the country.”

NASSA men’s team player and sports coordinator Anthony collected the Outstanding Service to the Community award for his work promoting NASSA’s CABNAB initiative. Anthony came up with the idea of educating young people on the dangers of knife crime and gang culture in 2008, the year in which two of his friends died in separate knife-related incidents.

Canning Town schoolboy Tyrees was named Young Achiever of the Year category for his stance against bullying. A victim himself in the past, Tyrees now stands up in classes to give anti-bullying talks to pupils of all ages and also offers advice to the younger NASSA members at training sessions.

Tyrees said: “It’s amazing to be given this award. I didn’t set out to win anything. I just wanted to help other people not have the experience that I had.”