BUSINESSWOMAN, philanthropist Leah Chowdhry has been awarded an MBE in the King’s
Birthday Honours for services to charitable fundraising and philanthropy.
For Leah, giving back has never been a single campaign or moment in time. It has been a
thread running through her life for as long as those around her can remember.
At just 16 years old, Leah travelled alone to Sri Lanka to volunteer at an orphanage, living with a local family and walking six miles each day to help care for children. The experience wouldbecome one of the defining chapters of her life and shape her outlook on resilience, gratitude and purpose from a young age.
Over the years, Leah continued dedicating herself to charitable causes and fundraising
initiatives, including running the London Marathon in support of charity campaigns and later
becoming the first British Asian woman to successfully swim the English Channel, raising morethan £250,000 for Cancer Research UK following her father’s diagnosis with Chronic
Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL), all before the age of 30
Determined to raise awareness and funding for cancer research, Leah took on one of the
world’s toughest endurance challenges at the age of 26, swimming 24 miles across the EnglishChannel in almost 15 hours without physical contact with another person or object. Battling freezing temperatures, exhaustion and jellyfish stings, she became one of very few women to complete the swim and the first British Asian woman to do so.Her efforts later earned her the Channel Swimming Association’s Swimmer of the Year Award.
But her work did not stop there.
Inspired by the resilience and mindset required throughout her journey, Leah later authored Making a Splash, a children’s book encouraging young people to adopt an “I can” attitudeandbelieve in their own potential despite setbacks and adversity. The book raised more than £50,000 for Cancer Research UK for Children within its first week of launch and has sincereached children worldwide.Alongside her charitable work, Leah has delivered fully funded achiever’s mindset and resilience talks to thousands of young people across the UK, particularly within disadvantagedcommunities. Through school talks, mentoring and workshops, she has worked to help young people build confidence, self-belief and emotional resilience.
Gregory Logan NPQH, Head of School at Daubeney Primary, said:“Leah’s assembly was truly inspiring for both pupils and staff. She shared her life
experiences with honesty and clarity, helping children understand that knowing their
‘why’ and believing in themselves can be life-changing. This is an assembly that will
live long in the memories of our school community.”
One student who attended Leah’s talk said:
“Your story about swimming the English Channel and overcoming cultural
expectations was inspiring and relatable. Your journey showed me that
determination can break those limits. I’m motivated to stay true to myself and
pursue my dreams with confidence.”Alongside her philanthropy, Leah is also COO of Savran, where she works closely withorganisations, leaders, families, women and young people through coaching, leadership and resilience programmes focused on creating meaningful long-term impact.
She has also spearheaded fundraising initiatives supporting organisations including Cancer
Research UK, the Francis Crick Institute and the British Asian Trust.
Leah is also the recipient of the British Citizen Award and has been recognised nationally for both her charitable and entrepreneurial work.
By Mayur Shikotra
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