The Pakistan and Kashmir Welfare Association (PKWA) based in Batley has been selected to receive the Queens award for voluntary services. The Queens award is an annual award which is designed to give recognition to the unsung heroes within local communities.
The PKWA was nominated by Batley and Spen MP Mike Wood and local community worker, Habiban Zaman. Awards are only given to those groups whose volunteers are judged to have given regular devoted time to providing a good level of help for local people. The PKWA was one of 693 entries that went through a rigorous regional and national selection process to be recognised as having made an invaluable contribution to the local community.
Without any external support, the association has developed innovative means ofsupporting its programme of social and educational activities; and its success is owed entirely to the energy and commitment of the many volunteers who have actually dedicated their time and resources to the PKWA, thus resulting in the organisation receiving the Matrix award for organisational governance and delivery of information in April. They have also held the Duke of York Award for Excellence since 1999.
The association’s Chair, Mr Mohammed Sadiq, said, “We have never really thought of ourselves as unsung heroes; we are just people who have decided not to sit idly by asour community disintegrates around us; we are just ordinary men and women whohave realised that by working together we can achieve far more than we can asindividuals. It is flattering to be called heroes, and receiving this award has made usreflect upon what we have accomplished over the years, and to take stock of how farwe have come; but if we are heroes, we are very ordinary heroes.”
PKWA’s purpose built community centre reaches out to all communities and helps provide a service specific to groups or individuals, such as hosting conferences and seminars to further education classes, training and support on health awareness, cultural and career issues and free services for the North Kirklees Community that includes help with filling in forms, attestation services, along with British and Pakistani passport advice surgeries.
The organisation has also been running a breakfast and out of School Club for children, that includes recreation activities and connexions advice for young people. Education and training provision for adults, from short courses to off campus higher education courses validated by the Leeds Metropolitan University are also available.
Fiona Mactaggart, Minister for the voluntary and Community Sector told AWAAZ, “This annual award gives well deserved recognition to some of the unsung heroes of our communities. Groups such as the PKWA play such a vital role in the development of local community networks and creating greater understanding of the diverse cultures of the UK. I hope that people will now think ahead to next year and give groups that are making a difference and get the recognition they deserve by nominating them for the 2006 awards.”
If you know of a volunteering group that is really making a difference to your community, then nomination forms for the 2006 Queen’s award for Volunteering Service are available from www.queensawardvoluntary.gov.uk or by calling 0845 000 2002. The nomination period runs until 30 September 2005.