Spirit of Manchester Awards Judges

Jez Myers (Chair)

Jeremy ‘Jez’ Myers is, by his own admission, not a writer. A recipient of Manchester City Council’s ‘Pride of Manchester’ Award and the Chairperson for the Spirit of Manchester Awards, the passionate Mancunian has often found himself championing the people of his beloved city and its surrounding areas. Whether writing in local papers or shouting about things online, Jez has a knack for rallying support around his community and doing what he can for others.

After meeting partner Maria Romanenko, a Ukrainian journalist, in 2020, Jez was set to leave Manchester for Kyiv. However, after fleeing Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine, Jez has thrown his full support behind the people of Ukraine through a variety of volunteering projects. The story of the escape has been featured, in part, in over one hundred major media outlets around the world and has gathered tens of millions of views.  

Jez has been Chairperson of the Awards for the last decade, an honour which he doesn’t take likely. Jez considers it to be an absolute privilege to sit with the other judges and read over the many nominations, often from the absolute unsung heroes of the community, which frequently leave him awe struck.

Despite his protestations, Jez continues to write and should have a book published in 2024.

Keisha Thompson

Keisha Thompson FRSA is a Manchester based writer, performance artist and producer.  She is Co-Chair of the Independent Theatre Council, a trustee of Olympias Music Foundation and recipient of the DARE Art Prize 2024 from Opera North and the University of Leeds in association with National Science and Media Museum and The Tetley. 

Formerly, she has been Artistic Director and CEO of Contact, Manchester, Chair of radical arts funding body, Future’s Venture Foundation and was the first recipient of The Arts Foundation Theatre Makers Award in 2021. 

Recent works include The Bell Curves. Commissioned by Lancaster University and Manchester DNA. An all-female show that clashes science and culture by looking at the medical ethics linked to CRISPR-Cas9 technology; Children’s show, Issy, BOSSS & Fractal.  Commissioned by Fuel Theatre. Directed by Alan Lane (Slung Low); and 14% supported by Talawa Firsts, an immersive theatre piece looking DNA tests and structural racism particularly within the context British football culture. 

In May 2022, she completed a residency with Esplanade Theatre in Singapore. Her focus was on her on-going project, DeCipher. The expansive educational project, looks at mathematical pedagogy and how it can be taught in a creative way in non-educational spaces. She is working to find out how it can be decolonised, democratised and dismantled. The goal is to create interactions that allow for agency, joy and discovery. A maths lesson that feels like a poetry workshop, a dance class or an interaction installation.  

In 2020, she finished touring award-winning solo show, Man on the Moon. Her debut book, Lunar, features her poetry and the show script. This book has recently been reprinted after selling out 250 copies. Whilst Moonwhile is a poetic mini album featuring music from the show. 

In August 2020, she released a new mini album, Ephemera, in collaboration with Tom “Werkha” Leah and featuring riveting cellist, Abel Selaocoe. Performances of the album have included We Out Here Festival and Timber Festival. It was named as album of the week by Jazz FM DJ Tim Garcia.  

She has supported artists such as Kae Tempest, Hollie McNish, The Last Poets, Saul Williams, Amiri Baraka and has performed in Brave New Voices festivals 2008 & 2009. Her work has been presented at venues high profile venues and platforms such as Tate Modern, Blue Dot Festival and the British Council Showcase in Edinburgh. 

“From the mundane to the spectacular, I will use my body, my voice, my vernacular.” – Keisha 

Samuel Remi-Akinwale

Samuel is a young Nigerian-Mancunian eager to learn and support others.

Nakib Narat

Nakib is an Actor, Theatre Maker and former broadcast journalist. He values the social and health benefits of Arts activity and equality of access for older people.  Formerly “Roving Provocateur“ for Age UK Arts Conference. He originated Manchester Passion 2017 (also playing Pontius Pilate!) for 5000 people in Cathedral Gardens and filmed for “Songs of Praise” . He started Chorlton Good Neighbours Drama for over 50s: writing and producing  films and  plays with them for Home, Manchester Festival and Chorlton Arts Festival (CAF). He’s on CAF's Committee and was with Factory International as a Community producer. Originally from Blackburn, Lancashire, he's loved Manchester since childhood. Accompanying his Dad to  Northern Quarter and Strangeways wholesalers for their market stall to working for Granada as a Reporter/Producer and later playing a Priest in "Coronation Street”. As Co-Chair of the Mayor's GM Older People's Equality Channel he wants Older People's lives to be healthier and fully valued.

What do the Spirit of Manchester Awards mean to you?

Manchester and “Mancunianity” - Greater Manchester’s people - all have kindness in their DNA. Honouring those that truly go above and beyond in the Spirit of our city and region is a great privilege.

Alexandra King-Byatt

I joined CityCo 14 years ago and am a part of the senior team who deliver a number of partnerships across Manchester city centre. CityCo is a not for profit partnership dedicated to supporting the Manchester city centre business community.

CityCo’s membership ranges from small independent venues such as Bar POP, to major investors and operators such as M&G, Aviva, Schroders and Bruntwood.

We deliver the Manchester Business Crime Reduction Partnership, Manchester Business Improvement District and are partners in the Manchester Accommodation Business Improvement District.

As Managing Director, I bring the public and private sectors together on a range of urban challenges and opportunities. These challenges can range from place-based issues such as anti-social behaviour and poor environmental management to footfall driving events and markets.

The golden thread which runs through all our work is keeping the city centre welcoming, thriving and strong. We have met the challenges of the last 15 years head on, and supported the business community through riots, terrorist attacks, fire, flood, the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. Manchester is a resilient city as it has a long tradition of working together.

I am a member of The Manchester Homelessness Partnership Board, the Manchester Water Safety Partnership Board and The Manchester Food Board. I volunteer for Real Change MCR, which is a small grant giving fund that helps people off the streets and into their own tenancies.

Originally from Winchester, I studied in Manchester and Salford, after graduating I stayed in the city and worked in live music venues,  retail. contemporary arts and visitor attractions.  I am married and have two beautiful dogs.