Melanie Danan is responsible for Policy and Regeneration at The Interlink Foundation, a second-tier organisation supporting the Orthodox Jewish voluntary sector. Melanie is also a Community Empowerment Network Representative where she sits on the Compact working group and Children & Young Peoples Partnership Board.   Melanie said: 'I feel very chuffed at having been chosen to receive an Adiaha Antigha Community Achievement Award and thank Jake and everyone at HCVS. The main areas where I feel I have influenced policy is in getting the authorities to look at and include the needs (hitherto neglected) of the significant numbers of children in Hackney educated in faith schools outside the maintained sector. And in improving the understanding of hard to reach sectors of Hackney’s population and helping to raise the profile of children with disabilities and their families.'

Pictured: Melanie Danan Interlink Foundation