The pair were nominated by their proud sister, Shivangi Walia, who originally read about the awards in Asian Express
His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla have crowned sister and brother Anika and Krish Walia as Coronation Champions, in recognition of their extraordinary volunteer work.
The Walia siblings have been named amongst a list of 500 outstanding volunteers, as part of official coronation project, the Coronation Champion Awards.
With the support of Her Majesty Queen Camilla, a passionate advocate of volunteering and President of Royal Voluntary Service, the awards were launched to recognise exceptional volunteers from across the country. 5000 entries were received, with nominations made for individuals aged 14 up to 104.
The pair were nominated by their proud sister, Shivangi Walia, who originally read about the awards in Asian Express.
Anika and Krish impressed judges with the impact they have had on the lives of others, their dedication to volunteering and the way they inspire those around them.
26-year-old Anika founded Anika Food Charity in 2018, a food bank to ensure vulnerable and in-need members of the community have access to emergency supplies of food, toiletries, and other essentials. It has since expanded to include a baby and hygiene bank as well as providing other essential services including workshops, tutoring and advocacy.
The volunteer duo have also co-founded a natural skincare brand, Doctor A Cosmetics, pledging 5% of their profits to Anika Food Charity to support their work.
Over the last five years, through the charity, Anika and Krish have supported hundreds of families, including low-income households, single parents, homeless individuals and refugees.
Founder and Coronation Champion, Anika Walia said: “It is truly heart warming to have been named a Coronation Champion alongside my brother Krish.
“Over the last five years, we have been working hard to help those most vulnerable in our community, to ensure no one is left behind. To have these efforts recognised is a great honour.”
The Coronation Champions Awards, which are supported by The National Lottery Community Fund, also sought to celebrate the next generation of volunteers, awarding those aged 14-18 as ‘Young Coronation Champions’. These champions included Anika’s younger brother, 18-year-old Krish Walia.
Inspired by his sister’s work, Krish began volunteering at the charity at just 13. Krish plays an important role in the charity supporting the three banks and organising essential fundraising events.
Coronation Champion, Krish Walia said: “Our hearts are overwhelmed with joy. We are so happy to have been chosen out of 5000 amazing volunteers. I am passionate about volunteering; it is something I’ve done since I was a child. Being able to help and support others is such a fulfilling experience, to have been recognised with this award makes it all the more rewarding.”
As part of the awards, the siblings received a specially designed, official Coronation Champions pin, a certificate signed by Their Majesties and even got to attend the Windsor Castle Coronation Concert to celebrate the new chapter in the nation’s history and enjoy an eclectic line-up of artists.
Royal Voluntary Service is immensely grateful for the generous support of brand partners Simplyhealth, for supporting the Health and Care category, Sky through its Sky Cares programme, for supporting the Community category and Petplan, for supporting the Animal Welfare category.
