MP of the Year Judges

Shabir Randeree CBE

Prince’s Trust Council Member

Shabir Randeree is Chairman of the DCD Group, an investment company with 30 years of experience in Real Estate, Venture Capital, Banking and Finance. He is also the Deputy Chairman of Al Baraka Bank South Africa and served as Chairman and founding director at EIIB, European Islamic Investment Bank plc (2006-12) and as founding director at IBB, Islamic Bank of Britain plc (2003-07). Shabir is an Advisor to the UK Government’s Asia Task Force and the IFTF, Islamic Finance Task Force (2013). He served on the Ethnic Minorities Business Task Force (2007-09) and co-founded Edutrust, a multi Academy sponsor. Recently he was elected Chair of Governors at the Westminster Academy and Deputy Chairman of the HRH charity MOSAIC. He is also a champion for 3FF, Three Faiths Forum. Shabir was awarded a CBE in HM The Queen’s New Year’s Honours List 2013 in recognition of his services to both business and education, as well as for his philanthropic support of charitable causes.

Jo Youle

Chief Executive Officer, Missing People

Jo has led the charity Missing People for over eight years, awarded ‘Rising CEO by the Third Sector in 2014’ and Top Social CEO on social media in 2015 and 2016. She was previously Director of the Services team at the charity. Jo was on the Board of Brook Young People and Deputy Chair until November 2020. She is  a 2018 Grant Thornton Face of a Vibrant Economy representing an organisation with “innovation, growth and purpose at its heart!” Jo is a trained coach working with people across sectors including education, the charity sector, with  Uprising supporting young people and also with Meyler Campbell, trained Business Coach. 

Jo supported suicidal people as a Samaritan for 10 years, later as a director of the Central London  Samaritans in the heart of Soho. She also had a career in the music industry as a writer with  Chrysalis and was a performer in the band Scarlet, signed to Warner Music in the 1990’s and best  known for hit single ‘Independent Love Song’ which also featured in the film ‘Bed of Roses’.  

She is a proud mum of Louis 15, and Eadie 14, a completer of charity challenges (but not out of planes), an avid reader, piano player (only after a glass of wine), interested in everything politics, a tweeter and Tedx speaker. Jo is an alumna of Windsor Leadership having participated on the Experienced Leaders programme (2017). 

Matt Hyde OBE

Chief Executive, The Scouts Association

Matt Hyde is Chief Executive of the Scouts, the UK’s largest coeducational youth movement. Formerly Chief Executive of the National Union of Students (NUS), he has undertaken a number of leadership roles in the charity sector and as Chief Executive of the Scouts has contributed to a period of record membership growth since he joined in 2013.  He has overseen the development and delivery of a rebrand, award-winning campaigns and has spearheaded work to support the growth of Scouting in areas of deprivation.

Matt is also a trustee of Comic Relief, a Patron of UNLOCK (the charity for people with convictions) and was previously Vice-Chair of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).  He developed the world’s first degree apprenticeship for social change which launched at Queen Mary University of London in 2019. 

Matt was awarded an OBE in the 2020 New Years Honours List and an Honorary Fellowship from Queen Mary University of London in 2012. He was named as one of the 25 most influential charity sector leaders by Charity Times in 2019.

Phil Champain

CEO, Faith & Belief Forum

Phil is currently CEO of the Faith & Belief Forum (F&BF), amongst the leading interfaith NGOs in the UK. F&BF works to strengthen relations between people of different faiths and beliefs, through award winning programmes in schools, universities, communities, and workplaces. Prior to F&BF, Phil worked as Director of Programmes for the peacebuilding INGO International Alert, working in many contexts affected by violent conflict, including the Philippines, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and the South Caucasus.. He has a degree in History from Cambridge University, a PGCE from Bangor University in North Wales, and an MA in Restorative Justice from the University of Hull. He is amongst the pioneers of engaging business in peacebuilding and has written extensively on dialogue and peacebuilding processes.

Sajidah Patel

Director, Naz Legacy Foundation

Saj is the Naz Legacy Foundation’s Director and has a background in campaigning, research and advocacy. She has experience in campaigning, research and advocacy. She previously worked for a Member of Parliament and founded a Youth Council on tackling Domestic Violence with Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC. She also has experience in teaching at a secondary level. Saj is passionate about social justice and equality and holds an MSc from SOAS in Middle East Politics.

Rt Hon Lord Simon Woolley Kt

Founder, Operation Black Vote

Simon Woolley is one of the founders of, and Director of Operation Black Vote (OBV). OBV is the first comprehensive campaign that addresses the Black political democratic deficit. Simon sits on the board for the National Coalition for Black Volunteering; is an Executive Member of String of Pearls; is a member of the London Commission for Sustainable Development; sits on the GLA Equality Commission, and is an ECHR Commissioner. Simon was one of the founders of the London Civic Forum and is a contributor to Equanomics UK, which has seen him participate in a UK tour with Reverend Jesse Jackson. He has a number of awards and accolades to his name, including being voted onto the Grassroots Powerlist 2002, which was published by the Big Issue; being awarded the Men of Merit Award in 2003; and being listed in the Telegraph’s Top 100 Left List in September 2007 and 2008. Simon has a broad range of expertise including political empowerment; Black civil rights; policy research and development; campaign strategy; fundraising; public speaking; and the implementation of citizenship programmes within the community. Many government departments such as the Home Office, the Electoral Commission, Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Justice call on Simon Woolley to advise on areas of race and politics.

Lord Woolley received a Knighthood in the 2019 Birthday Honours for his services to race equality. He was created Baron Woolley of Woodford by Prime Minister Theresa May on 14th October 2019.

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE

Baroness Grey-Thompson is Britain’s greatest Paralympian, winning eleven gold medals over five Paralympic Games, and now sitting in the House of Lords as a crossbench peer with specialist interests in sport, disability, health and youth development.  Since retiring from athletics, Baroness Grey-Thompson has been active in speaking out on issues including benefit reform and accessible transport. During heated debates in the House of Lords, she has been instrumental in moving several amendments to the Welfare Reform Bill, making insightful contributions and pushing the Government to making concessions.  Baroness Grey-Thompson is the President of NCVO and has a longstanding association with the wider voluntary sector, and was appointed in 2011 as the President of the Leadership 20:20 Commission for developing emerging leaders in civil society,. She is a patron of numerous charities including Sportsleaders UK, and is a trustee of vInspired, a charity that helps young people become volunteers. As well as this she is the Patron of the Jane Tomlinson Appeal and is a board member of the Tony Blair Sports Foundation.

Yvonne Field

Founder and CEO, The Ubele Initiative

Yvonne Field is the Founder and CEO of The Ubele Initiative. Yvonne has spent more than four decades working with individuals, groups and organisations across the UK, the English-speaking Caribbean, Asia, South Africa and mainland Europe. Her work with women, young people and Black and Minoritised communities has created a lifelong commitment to the promotion of social justice, equalities and anti-discriminatory practice.