Lily Lapenna from MyBnk with TV presenter June Sarpong and 15-year-old Tanvirul Islam.

Young banker at Forest Gate school wins social justice award

Melissa York, Reporter Monday, July 30, 2012
7:00 AM

A young student entreprenur in Forest Gate won a top award at a star-studded event for running a school bank.

Tanvirul Islam, 15, was honoured with a Campaign for Social Justice (CSJ) accolade on behalf of charity MyBnk for his vision and commitment to running a not-for-profit organisation to benefit 20 other students in his own time.

Currently a Year 10 student at Forest Gate Community School, TV presenter June Sarpong MBE presented with a CSJ Award on July 4 at St Martin in the Fields church in central London.

The financial prodigy gave a speech to an audience that also included the Liberal Democrat MP David Laws, Alastair Campbell, Josh Lewsey, Jonathan Aitken, and Ian Hislop about giving up his free time to work as the school’s head banker.

After the celebrity packed evening, Tanvirul said: “It was an amazing experience and I felt proud that I was able to represent Forest Gate Community School at the awards.

“I was also offered work experience by JP Morgan Investments, and a placement at MyBnk’s head office.

“The editor of London Evening Standard congratulated me on my excellent speech, as did a journalist from the Daily Mail.

“Best of all, I reckon I received the loudest applause of the evening.”

Stephen Gillat, assistant head teacher at Forest Gate Community School, said: “Jonathan Aitken, Alastair Campbell, Ian Hislop, and many others attended.

“There was even a video message from Sir Richard Branson. It was an amazing event.”

Hosted by BBC London News reporter Victoria Hollings and sponsored by JP Morgan, the event was organised by the Centre for Social Justice who campaign to put social justice at the centre of British politics.