The Wimbledon Foundation, the charitable arm of The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and The Championships, has launched a striking photography exhibition celebrating remarkable people from the boroughs of Merton and Wandsworth.
Champions of Merton and Wandsworth is a collection of 10 portraits by photographer Ben Queenborough celebrating 10 everyday heroes from the local community. The exhibition will be on public display at Southside Shopping Centre, Wandsworth from 7 to 21 April and in The Piazza, Wimbledon from 6 to 20 May.
Wandsworth residents featured in the exhibition include George Turner and Teresa Harris who have both been inspired to set up local charities. George is the co-founder of Carney’s Community, a Battersea-based charity that since 2011 has helped thousands of young people living in Wandsworth and surrounding areas to turn their lives around through boxing and mentoring. George said: “Seeing how unfair life can be for people is what drives me, plus the ability of those who’ve not been given a fair chance, who just need a bit of support and belief. I’m here to provide long-term, consistent and unconditional support, and help each young person be the best that they can be.”
Teresa Harris founded Learn to Love to Read in 2014, a literacy charity supporting children who are finding learning to read challenging and equipping parents to offer support at home. Teresa said: “Reading can transform the life chances of children growing up. Research by Book Trust has found that reading for pleasure in the early years has four times more impact on a child’s progress by the age of 16 than parental education or socioeconomic status. Reading opens so many doors, and I’m passionate about those doors being opened to as many people as possible.”
Portraits of Merton residents include Ava Little and Nathan Maraj who have both overcome personal challenges and draw on their own experiences to help others. Ava was just five years old when the Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative (WJTI) visited her primary school in Mitcham and invited her to attend free weekly tennis coaching at the All England Club. Fourteen years later, Ava is a qualified Level 1 tennis coach and part of the WJTI team which visits state primary schools across Merton and Wandsworth, introducing children to tennis and the benefits sport can bring.
Ava said: “When I joined the WJTI, I was very shy and found it hard to socialise. Playing tennis helped me to come out of my comfort zone, develop my communication skills and feel confident in myself and around others. Seven years ago, I lost my brother, and tennis has really helped me with my mental health and to release any anger that I have. The WJTI helped me to believe that anything is possible, and I want to pass that on to the kids I’m now working with and tell them everything is possible and to never give up.”
Nathan Maraj has had to adjust to a new way of living after beginning to lose his eyesight in his twenties. Supported by Merton Vision, Nathan now helps others beginning their sight loss journey to adapt. Nathan said: “It’s been a good journey too. It’s not all doom and gloom. Losing my sight has given me new opportunities. Hearing from other people who are visually impaired about how to do things was such a help and now I try to share my experience to help others. I’m trying to make the best of losing my sight.”
Amanda Horton-Mastin, Head of the Wimbledon Foundation, said: “Supporting charities and community groups in Merton and Wandsworth has been at the heart of the Wimbledon Foundation’s work since we began in 2014. Each year, we support around 70 organisations in the two boroughs bringing us into contact with inspirational people making an extraordinary contribution to our local community.
“These are people who would never seek the spotlight themselves and so, through Champions of Merton and Wandsworth, we want to celebrate these amazing individuals and shine a light on the difference that they, and hundreds of others just like them, make to the lives of people in our community. We hope the exhibition will leave residents feeling inspired that there is so much good in the world, especially right here on our doorstep.”
