Windrush room founder praised for volunteer work
Max Thomas runs the Windrush reflection room inside the Sailmakers shopping centre
- Published
The founder of a "living room exhibition" that honours the Windrush generation has been praised for his volunteer work.
Max Thomas set up the Reflection Room in 2021 in an empty shopping centre unit in Ipswich.
He has won the BBC Radio Suffolk Make a Difference Volunteer Award at a ceremony at Trinity Park on 17 September.
Mr Thomas said: "A lot of the elders are passing away, with such valuable stories, such gems, and if we don't capture those and archive them, they'll be lost forever."
The Reflection Room has relocated several times within the Sailmakers shopping centre
The exhibition contains household items popular among people of Caribbean heritage living in Britain since 1948, including furniture, bedspreads, a dial-telephone - and even a metal bathtub.
The Ipswich Windrush Society, external organises an annual event on Windrush Day each June and runs educational sessions in schools.
There is also a new a fundraising campaign to fit out a bus to allow the exhibition to take to the road on tour.
"We want to be able to travel all over the country, have an awning, have a staging, bring it to festivals... that's my next vision," Mr Thomas said.
The winners from the 2025 BBC Radio Suffolk Make a Difference Awards
Young Hero shows spirit of friendship
Ozzy with his friend Jake pictured on his t-shirt
Another winner at the BBC Radio Suffolk Make a Difference Awards was 14-year-old Ozzy Rayner.
He has earned the Young Hero trophy for fundraising to help his friend Jake - who also has a complex disability - go on holiday.
Ozzy has Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes a wide range of physical symptoms including an enhanced appetite, learning disabilities and very low muscle tone.
Despite it making exercise difficult, Ozzy ran 5km - which helped boost donations for Jake and his family.
BBC Suffolk Make a Difference Awards 2025 winners
Volunteer Award - Max Thomas
Young Hero Award - Ozzy Rayner
Great Neighbour Award - Rosie Burrows
Active Award - Mike McCarthy
Animal Award - Peter Merchant
Green Award- Jackie Orbell
Fundraiser Award - Project Seven
Community Group Award - The Caribbean & African Community Health Support Forum
- Image source, Cleah Hetherington/BBC
Image caption, Great Neighbour Award winner Rosie Burrows (left) and her daughter Julie Donoghue - Rosie has had facial cancer twice but still spends her time supporting her community
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