A Manchester restaurant has hosted a celebration honouring the founder of a local knife crime project, as the organisation reaches its two-year anniversary.

To mark the anniversary, Levenshulme’s desi dining destination My Nawaab has honoured Jeannine Burke and other community champions as part of its ‘Real Icons Week’.

Be Part of Change was founded by Burke after she lost her son Ty’relle to knife crime. The Community Interest Company seeks to offer young people a place to spend time together off the streets and provide support for parents and young people concerned about knife crime.

Launched to celebrate unsung Manchester heroes, ‘Real Icons Week’ by the restaurant seeks to pay tribute not to celebrities or chart-toppers, but to community champions, campaigners and creatives who embody the beating heart of the city.

Jeannine Burke and Head Chef Shama Rahman at the celebratory display at My Nawaab

placeholder image — Jeannine Burke and Head Chef Shama Rahman at the celebratory display at My Nawaab

As well as honouring the icons and their families, the restaurant is offering free meals to those who share a first name with one of the celebrated icons.

The five local legends are being honoured through celebratory meals in their honour, and a gallery wall in the restaurant’s lobby, featuring their portraits, profiles and the work they have done to help shape the city in inspiring ways. The display will pay tribute to:

Binita Kane: An NHS respiratory consultant at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, specialising in complex lung diseases. She is co-founder of the South Asian Heritage Trust, leading South Asian Heritage Month in the UK. She also campaigns on climate health impacts.
Anjum Malik: A powerful multilingual poet, scriptwriter, and lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University rooted in Manchester’s literary and cultural scene. Her work often explores migration, language, and identity, and she has written for BBC Radio 4 and major theatre productions.
Lubna Tahir: Community artist and grassroots cultural organiser known for engaging diverse communities through visual arts, workshops and heritage projects. She creates accessible, co-created public art to empower local voices.
Jeannine Burke: Passionate knife crime campaigner and youth mentor who runs initiatives to prevent youth violence. She is known for her outreach work supporting young people affected by crime and creating safer communities.
Shakar Hussain: Founder of Homeless Aid UK Manchester, providing food, clothing and support for homeless people across the city. He is recognised for mobilising volunteers and raising awareness about poverty and homelessness.

During ‘Real Icons Week’, you have the chance to dine completely free if you are over 18 and share a first name with one of our icons. The offer is available from Monday 14th July until Thursday 24th July. Valid ID is required; the offer can be claimed by emailing [email protected]. The first three people who share a first name with each icon will win a complimentary buffet dinner.

Jeannine Burke, Founder of Be Part of Change, said: “The work we do as a community interest company is hard and often thankless, so it was an unexpected but wonderful surprise to be recognised as part of Real Icons Week! We’re all about creating community and making sure people feel supported – it’s great to see the restaurant taking a similar approach and celebrating the local community. Only by supporting each other can we make real change and continue to make our city a better place.”

Shama Rahman, Head Chef at My Nawaab, said: “Manchester has always been about more than music or football - it’s about people. This city is built on everyday heroes, people who campaign, care, create and support others. Real Manchester Icons Week is about turning the spotlight on the unsung stars who truly make the city special.

“The real icons of this city are those who serve their communities, lift others up and fight for change. And if you happen to share their first name? Well, dinner is on us!”

Whether you’re an ‘Anjum’, a ‘Jeannine’, a ‘Lubna’ or a proud Mancunian inspired by their stories, My Nawaab invites you to visit, reflect and celebrate what makes this city truly iconic.

To learn more about the restaurant, or to book a table please visit: www.mynawaab.com