The 2024 prize-giving ceremony was held on 23 October 2024 at Alon Zakaim Fine Arts.
The prize was presented to the winner, Maggie Oliver, by the acclaimed political broadcaster, Adam Boulton, who has diligently held the powerful to account for decades.
Maggie Oliver, the former Greater Manchester Police detective, resigned her job in disgust over its neglect in handling the grooming scandal of young girls in Rochdale. She left the force in 2012 having battled for 18 months to raise her concerns internally without success.
She then established a foundation and dedicated her life to supporting the victims.
A report commissioned by the Mayor of Greater Manchester published in January 2024 covering the period 2004 to 2013 set out multiple failed investigations by the police and apparent indifference to the plight of mainly white girls from poor backgrounds. Oliver stated that young people were still being abused in the town and that victims were living in fear in fear as abusers walk the streets and a number defy court orders to return to Pakistan.
"I am delighted to have won the Contrarian Prize in recognition for standing up for the victims of child grooming in Rochdale. Many of the issues I highlighted then continue to this day,” said Oliver.
As ever, the prize-giving ceremony attracted an eclectic group of leading individuals from multiple fields including finance, business, law, the media, politics, the charitable sector, the arts, academia and dance music.
The prize, symbolised in the form of a stunning sculpture entitled the “Three Politicians”, was produced by the renowned pop artist, Mauro Perucchetti. The founder of the prize, Ali Miraj, said, “The systematic grooming of young girls in Rochdale over a period of years revealed multiple failures by the authorities to accept and deal with the situation. Maggie Oliver had the guts to stand up, sacrificing her career in the process and has committed her life to doing what she can to help them.”
You can read his speech here or you can watch it here
Please click onto any of the links below for the 2024 event:
2024 Introduction video - Contrarians challenge the status quo
2024 Nominations video
2024 Prize-giving ceremony video
2024 Prize-giving photo gallery
