THIS category is for individuals or community groups who have made an exceptional contribution in the response to coronavirus.

The three finalists are Shummel Uddin, Denholme Assist and Mohammed Amin.

During the height of the pandemic, Shummel coordinated, planned and delivered cooked food in the Bowling and Barkerend area.

“He went the extra mile and distributed food to vulnerable families and older people”, said a person who nominated him.

“He volunteered to provide telephone helpline support and also collect food from local businesses. Shummel also provided emotional support to many in the South Asian community who were suffering from mental health issues.

“He has been a real shinning star in the community. He is a very positive and ‘can-do’ person who will always put others first, and a very kind and compassionate person.

“He has volunteered his time throughout his adult years in the community. He gives up his weekends and evenings to deliver football sessions to youths and is a true community champion.”

Denholme Assist was founded by two young men in the area, who have helped people who were struggling during the pandemic.

They opened a food bank and also set up a befriending service, being described as “Covid heroes” by a person who nominated them.

“They think about what people struggle with before they struggle with it. For example, when unemployment hit, they created a page on their website to show residents local jobs and created a benefits calculator for people", they added.

“They also helped with gas and electric for the vulnerable too. At Christmas, they also set up a Christmas shoebox appeal and delivered around 60 presents to children, while they did the same thing with Easter eggs at Easter.”

Mohammed Amin is the founder and international director of Bradford charity AROUK. During the pandemic, he helped to deliver essential items to people in need, and has been described as “enthusiastic, hard working and honest” by a person who nominated him.

“Amin is friendly, helpful and polite with a good sense of humour”, it was added.

“He understands people and delivers high-quality customer service. He has been working tirelessly with AROUK, and has motivated youngsters to do good and to stay away from bad.

“He has been on his feet all lockdown - during rain, windy and dark hours. He gave hope to people who were isolating, and came up with the amazing idea of giving vulnerable people a card, so they can give him a call and he can deliver food and clothes to them.

“He helped people who were struggling to book vaccination appointments, going with them and guiding them on what to do, with his excellent translation skills.

“He also personally booked PCR appointments for Rohingya people who were struggling with English.

“Whenever we are with him, our knowledge increases and we feel happy.”

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