No 10 honour for boxing club mother who steers youths away from gangs

“Inspirational”: Lorraine Jones with her Points of Light award and below, her late son Dwayne, who was stabbed in 2014 and whose legacy continues with the boxing club
Alex Lentati

One of the local heroes of the Evening Standard’s campaign to tackle poverty and gang culture on sink estates has been honoured by the Prime Minister for her inspirational community work.

Church minister Lorraine Jones was named a Point of Light by David Cameron and this week visited No 10, accompanied by her father Errol Jones, to collect her certificate.

The single mother from Brixton’s Angell Town estate suffered tragic loss when her son Dwayne, 20, was stabbed in 2014, but she picked up the gauntlet and carried on his legacy with Dwayn-amics, a boxing club founded to help divert youths from gangs.

Accepting the award Ms Jones, 42, said: “It deeply touched me and has left me feeling respected and valued as a British citizen. I was born in this country but my parents were born in Jamaica and came here as children.

“I did not imagine that one day I would be walking with my dad through the portal of 10 Downing Street and taking a tour of the grand meeting rooms. It brought tears to my eyes.”

Ms Jones is the 442nd winner of the Points of Light award, which recognises outstanding volunteers who transform their community and inspire others. She has been a pillar of the Standard’s £1.5 million The Estate We’re In campaign, which has funded projects initiated by residents on Angell Town, including Dwaynamics with a £17,341 grant, and which is now being rolled out to estates across London.

Mr Cameron said: “Lorraine’s work has helped tackle gang culture in Brixton and has inspired those around her to come together as a community.”

Through Dwaynamics, Ms Jones has trained more than 50 youths in boxing, as well as 30 mothers to help alleviate stress caused by financial hardship and other estate life tensions.

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