Community Heroes - All-Star Judges

Each of our awards categories is supported by one of our fantastic partners; The LEGO Group, Deutsche Bank, BNY Mellon, Spotify and Kingston Technology. This year we’re doing something a little different and have an all-star panel of judges to help select the winners of our Community Heroes category.

We’re joined by Becca Weighell from the Fair Education Alliance, Ben Holden and Salome Levantis from the Lightbulb Trust, Bernd Dombrowsky from Kingston Technology, Richard Lewis from EPAM and Clare Lindsey from Sage and Gert Rohrmann from Siemens to help select the winners and provide valuable feedback on their projects.

The Community Heroes category celebrates students designing new digital products that use technology to make their local community a better place to live. There are three finalists this year; ReFood from students at Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College, Classmates from Walsall Studio School and STOREdrobe from Denbigh High School.

Find out why the Community Heroes judges support Apps for Good and don’t forget to read through the finalists ideas and select your favourite product for the People’s Choice Award.

"In my work around the world, I have been continuously inspired by the work young people are doing to bring about the change they want to see, even in some of the most challenging times and environments. Often overlooked or underestimated by adult decision makers, young people have proven time and time again to be able to make a huge impact, in creative ways rooted in their own experiences, to improve lives across their communities. Therefore, I think it is critical that we are able to support young people to develop the skills they need to find solutions, pursue their ideas, and lead the change that will solve problems in their community."

Becca Weighell, Youth Engagement Manager, Fair Education Alliance

"Having spent the last few years working with Apps for Good I am struck by the level of creativity and drive exhibited by the teams—they have clearly thought through their ideas and the steps needed to make it a reality. My role is often to give structure and help them narrow down ideas to a minimum viable product.

We are dedicated to empowering students through the power of knowledge and building a community that encourages them to explore STEM careers. It’s an honor to help youth build their confidence and use their imagination wherever their path leads them."

Richard Lewis, Senior Director, Country Head UK, Delivery Lead, EPAM

"My interest in supporting young people to develop essential skills to solve problems in their community is due to me being the Sage Foundation contact for Apps for Good and me personally witnessing the charity supporting young people keeping up to date with essential skills needed in today's environment. Whether it be technology or soft skills, they all can be used to make a difference… This project can only increase the confidence in those creating the apps along with those benefiting from it."

Clare Lindsey, Continuous Improvement Analyst, Sales Operations, Sage