Captain Kandiah Chandran, Chief Executive of The PRESET Charitable Trust, has been awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours List for services to young people in London.

PRESET works with young people across London, providing education and employment opportunities. Following seven years as Chief Executive of Presentation Housing Association, where he was honoured with an MBE for services to housing, Chandran set up the PRESET charity in 1996.
Looking back over the last fourteen years it is obvious that all the valuable work that has been done with thousands of young people in London would not have been achieved without the drive and commitment of one man, Captain Kandiah Chandran.

Originally from Sri Lanka, reaching the rank of Captain in the Sri Lankan army in 1959, Chandran later made his home in Chiswick, London and has dedicated his life’s work as a British citizen to the benefit of others.

Captain Chandran said,

“I do not consider this OBE an award for myself, but a recognition of the work of PRESET and my colleagues who work together to assist young people around the capital.”

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Notes to the editor:

PRESET Charitable Trust exists with the sole aim of helping young people achieve their potential. Since 1996, Captain Chandran and PRESET have been inspired and united by one goal – a desire to address the disturbing waste of potential of young people, who often appear to be stuck in a destructive cycle of poor housing and health, with a lack of any positive role models and of support at home.

The negative impact on society is obvious. These same young people lack self-esteem and motivation, under-perform at school, struggle to find and maintain jobs offering them a decent future. In response to this social exclusion, the PRESET Charitable Trust works with young people, between the ages of ten and 24 to offer an alternative.

The ambitious vision of PRESET is to offer a future of education, skills, employment and social inclusion. Working across a number of London boroughs and in areas of social deprivation the charity provides extensive programmes and activities to engage with young people and build a better future, both for them and our communities as a whole.

The PRESET philosophy is simple – that each of us is entitled to the best possible opportunities in life, regardless of our background. The charity works on this basis to ensure that each young person can reach their potential and make the most of their individual talents and abilities.

For more information on PRESET visit: www.preset.org

If you wish to put together a profile of PRESET and its work please contact info@scottjamescommunications.com or 09758 633 787

To arrange an interview with Captain Kandiah Chandran please contact ScottJames Communications on 07958 633 787 or info@scottjamescommunications.com

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