Toxteth teenager, who has led positive change and pride in his local area, is in line for
recognition after being nominated in the outstanding individuals’ section of the 2023
National Lottery Awards.
16-year-old Khan Odita has been shortlisted in the Young Hero category as a result of his
incredible work in the local community.
Most teenagers spend their school holidays having fun with their friends. But Khan has used
this time to create positive change in Toxteth, Liverpool, setting up the Mulgrave Street Action
Group (MSAG) in August 2021 in response to fly tipping in the area.
Khan has led volunteer litter-picking days, a campaign called Flood The Streets With Flowers
to install planters, and in April this year he achieved his dream of opening the Mulgrave Street
Community Garden on a triangular patch of disused land.
Alongside securing a £10,000 grant from The National Lottery Community Fund in October
2021, Khan has written two children’s books, which he sells at local markets to support the
group.
Khan’s mum Natasha, who raised him alone, said: “Khan has been big-hearted from a young
age, wanting to put his mark on the world. We live in a deprived area, but I’ve always told him,
your place of birth doesn’t define you or what you can be.”
The National Lottery Awards are the annual celebration of the ordinary individuals and
organisations who do extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding.
This year, 3,780 people and projects were nominated for the work they have carried out with
support from The National Lottery.
Over the summer, a panel made up of representatives from The National Lottery and
partners will decide the winners in each of the individual categories.
Winners will be revealed in the autumn and will receive a £5,000 cash prize for their
organisation and a coveted National Lottery Awards trophy.
Jonathan Tuchner, from The National Lottery, said: “The National Lottery Awards honour
those who have stepped up and have gone the extra mile to make a difference in their
communities, especially during these challenging times.
Thanks to National Lottery players and the £30 million raised each week for good causes,
thousands of individuals and projects throughout the UK have been making an incredible
difference in their areas, and this is our chance to highlight and celebrate the exceptional
work of these selfless local heroes.”
Founder Khan Odita Shortlisted for National Lottery Award
What we do
Beutifying streets
We are steadily reimagining Mulgrave and adjacent areas across L8. Through planters, wildflowers, flower bulbs and litter picks our home can become more welcoming to outsiders and ourselves.
Community Cohesion
We live in a time of great social disconnect, whether it be between age ranges or cultures. MSAG unites the diverse communities of Toxteth for the cause of good through our many projects and activities which bring people together.
Community skip hiring
We all have a cupboard full of things we want gone - but flytipping is not the way to do it. We consistently organise community skip days to provide an accessible way of disposing of rubbish without impacting the area.
UrbanScape
UrbanScape was the first, pioneering, project of MSAG. A previous flytip hotspot is now a multipurpose modern-greenspace, a centrepiece of regeneration and community ownership in Toxteth.
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