MBCC Awards push unity message amid rising hate crime

Birmingham’s Multicultural Business and Community Champion Awards 2026 is opening with a call for unity as organizers respond to rising hate crime and far-right hostility across the UK. The Nov. 28 event will honor grassroots heroes, celebrities and community leaders at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Birmingham.

Why it matters: - The MBCC Awards are positioning the 2026 ceremony as a public stand against division, hate crime and extremist rhetoric. - Organizers say the event is meant to show how multicultural communities, rather than fear and hostility, strengthen Britain. - The awards also elevate grassroots figures whose work often goes unnoticed, giving them a wider platform and public recognition.

What happened: - Birmingham’s Multicultural Business and Community Champion Awards 2026 launched with a message of unity in response to what organizers describe as rising tension from far-right “patriot” groups. - Founder Zoe Bennett BEM said the awards are “a statement of resistance” at a time when people are being encouraged to turn on their neighbours. - The ceremony will take place Saturday, November 28 at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Birmingham.

The details: - Bennett said the MBCC Awards stand for “unity” and “multicultural strength” and will not let “fear, flags, or false ‘patriotism’” define who belongs in Britain. - The awards categories include Charity of the Year, Community Unsung Hero, Entrepreneur of the Year, Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion, Inspirational Author of the Year, and Inspirational Employability Champion. - Organizers say the message has support from public figures including Levi Roots, Adrian Lester and Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands. - Parker praised the MBCC team for “standing firm on community cohesion when others are seeking to divide us.” - Love Island’s Dejon Williams says the awards have given him a “renewed sense of purpose” after a year of racist trolling online. - Williams said the awards highlight kindness, strength and community, and he now serves on the judging panel. - Judges also include Apache Indian, Sharon Thompson, Danielle Broadbent, Davina Williamson, Ella McCrystal, Imran Savas, Meesh Nicole, Dal Singh Darroch, Jonathan Townsend, Errol Reid, Angie Greaves, Patrick Craven and Nicholas Bailey. - The awards were founded in 2015. - Previous honorees include Annie Lennox, Sir Lenny Henry, Sir Trevor McDonald, Alison Hammond, Vanessa Feltz, Rudolph Walker and Beverley Knight, along with hundreds of grassroots campaigners. - More information

Between the lines: - Bennett’s comments link the awards to a broader national debate over identity, belonging and public trust. - The release ties the MBCC message to Home Office figures showing hate crime at record highs, including racially motivated, anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish offences. - The framing suggests the ceremony is being used as both an awards night and a civic response to polarization.

What's next: - The MBCC Awards 2026 will gather leaders, changemakers and grassroots heroes in Birmingham later this month. - Organizers say the event will continue highlighting people whose work reflects compassion, courage and community. - The ceremony is expected to reinforce the awards’ long-running focus on multicultural cohesion and public service.

The bottom line: - The MBCC Awards are turning a celebration of community champions into a direct rebuttal to hate and division in the UK.