Victor Ikoli Honoured With Creativity and Media Excellence Award at THRIVE 26

Victor Ikoli, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Vantage Magazine, has been honoured with the Creativity and Media Excellence Award at the THRIVE 26 Gala & Awards, held by Holding Hands Together CIO at the Grand Hotel Sunderland on 19 September 2026.

The award recognises his work building a publication dedicated to the stories of the African diaspora, from grassroots theatre and community enterprise to politics, sport and culture across the UK and beyond.

Ikoli received the trophy from the Mayor of the City of Sunderland, Councillor Robert Hutchinson, in front of an audience of civic leaders, businesses and community champions from across the North East.

A Night of Community Recognition

Now in its second edition, THRIVE celebrates people whose work strengthens communities. Earlier in the day, a free employment fair offered job seekers, students and women returning to work recruitment opportunities, CV advice and digital skills workshops.

In his address, Mayor Hutchinson said: “Tonight is of course a celebration, but it is also something much bigger. It's about recognising the people who've strengthened our communities, created opportunities for others, challenged inequalities, led with compassion, and demonstrated through their actions what can happen when people are given the opportunity to thrive.”

Telling the Diaspora's Stories

“People whose contributions can sometimes go unseen were recognised.”

Under Ikoli's editorship, Vantage has grown into a platform for diaspora storytelling, profiling community organisers, artists, athletes and entrepreneurs, and documenting the moments where African and British life meet.

Jennifer Orji, founder of Holding Hands, said the connections made during the evening mattered as much as the awards. “People met new organisations, new conversations started, communities celebrated one another, young people performed, partnerships were strengthened, and people whose contributions can sometimes go unseen were recognised,” she said.

The Creativity and Media Excellence Award was one of 26 honours presented on the night, spanning education, health, social enterprise, faith leadership and community service.

For Ikoli, the recognition represents the intersection of his long-standing journalism career and his growing work in the UK as a media and cultural storyteller.

“Journalism has never been just about putting words on a page for me. It is about giving people a voice, preserving stories that might otherwise disappear, and helping communities see themselves represented with dignity.”

Speaking after receiving the award, Ikoli said the recognition was particularly inspiring because it came at a new stage of his career in the UK after more than a decade working as a journalist in Qatar.

“I have spent much of my career telling stories across borders. Coming to the North East has given me the opportunity to bring that experience into a new community, while continuing to tell stories that connect people, cultures and generations.”

He added: “The most powerful stories are often found in ordinary people doing extraordinary things. My responsibility as a journalist is to find those stories, give them context and make sure they are heard.”