The fifth annual StepFWD Awards, the UK’s definitive “Best of British” Christian music awards ceremony, is moving its glitzy red carpet event complete with exhilarating live performances to a new venue aptly described as the ‘cathedral of creativity’ Hackney Church. With the date set for Saturday 22nd November, this historic Grade II listed parish church St Johns of Hackney, beautifully modernised by the visionary architect John Pawson CBE, now serves as an inspiring space for music, arts and culture and is the perfect backdrop for StepFWD Awards 2025.
StepFWD Awards is the only “Dove meets Stellar’ style dedicated CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) and Gospel awards ceremony in the UK, inspired by the call for unity in Romans 12:10 “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour.”
Since its restoration in 2022, Hackney Church, an award-winning landmark building, has been a sought after live music venue by high profile artists such as Ed Sheeran, Biffy Clyro and James Bay, appearing on location videos from talent as varied as Labrinth through to Sir Cliff Richard. Incredibly, the space is still in use for church services every Sunday by SAINT: Hackney, yet effortlessly lends itself to a variety of uses with a beautiful stained glass window, wooden balcony pews and imposing mahogany organ as stark reminders of the building’s original purpose built as a worship space.
“StepFWD Awards has gone from strength to strength, exceeding our wildest expectations year on year. Hackney Church reflects our heart as a space, showcasing creativity in a contemporary yet accessible setting that brings it all back to God, giving Him the glory. To celebrate our landmark fifth anniversary, we wanted to find a suitable central location to keep building the strong sense of community that has now become synonymous with the StepFWD Awards.” founder O’Neil Dennis.
Since its inception, StepFWD Awards, representing ‘The Best of British’ talent, has established itself as a force to be reckoned with across the UK Christian music scene and beyond. With a new expanded brief with the aim to honour all Christian creatives, expect some exciting new additions and a few fresh twists to the StepFWD Awards format.
Preparations are already underway for an unforgettable evening of celebration in this beautiful new venue, with an incredible lineup of guest performers which will gradually be revealed over coming weeks. Tickets will be released shortly so stay tuned and make sure you don’t miss out!
Date: Saturday 22nd November 2025
Venue: Hackney Church, Lower Clapton Road, London, E5 0PD
Website: stepfwdawards.com | Twitter: @stepfwdawards | Instagram: @stepfwdawards
Contact: pr@astepfwd.com
Source: A Step FWD