A BRADFORD man is one of eight people to be shortlisted for a national award after judges sifted through more than 90,000 nominations.
Nazim Ali from Manningham has raised almost £950,000 for charity in the last 12 years alone.
Growing up in poverty and suffering from TB as a five-year-old propelled him into a life dedicated to helping others.
Known for his challenges during the holy month of Ramadan and volunteering, he is now in the running for a different reason.
As he sets his sights on the magical milestone of £1 million for charity, Nazim is a finalist at this year’s National Diversity Awards.
He is shortlisted for the Positive Role Model: Race, Faith or Religion Award - one of 10 categories in total.
Nazim, right, Wajid Khan, centre, and Muhammed with gift donations to Airedale children's ward (Image: Nazim Ali)
Reacting to the news, Nazim said: “I am profoundly humbled to have been shortlisted for the National Diversity Awards 2024. It is heartwarming my 26 years of relentless dedication towards advancing equality, diversity and inclusion is being recognised. God willing as a proud Bradfordian I look forward to representing my city.”
From serving food at a community kitchen to providing gifts for poorly children, his philanthropy is funded through his own charity, the Nazim Ali Foundation, and long-term sponsors.
He runs the weekly Khidma Community Kitchen at the Millan Centre in Manningham, sponsored by SaveCo Cash & Carry.
Every Tuesday, people of all faiths and backgrounds can fuel up with a two-course meal.
It has provided more than 3,000 meals since opening in February.
A type of house Nazim Ali's foundation has helped build in Pakistan
Nazim also runs the ‘Creating Smiles Gifts Initiative’ which sees gifts provided to young patients at Bradford Royal Infirmary and Airedale Hospital Children’s Wards.
The gifts are also sponsored by SaveCo Cash & Carry.
It comes a year after Nazim’s generous efforts were celebrated with an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Bradford.
Nazim Ali, pictured (Image: KM Images Ltd)
His dedication to helping others takes him not just around the place he calls home but the wider world.
Nazim has been raising money for underprivileged people in remote areas, such as Malawi and Uganda, for over 26 years.
The 50th house in Malawi
He has helped build dozens of solid houses in settlements where people only had mud huts, and has distributed many hundreds of food parcels to the needy overseas with money he has been given in donations.
He pays for flights and accommodation from his own pocket to make sure all proceeds go to good causes.
Taking place in the beautiful Liverpool Anglican Cathedral this October, the awards will be presented by broadcaster, author, presenter, and journalist Clare Balding CBE.
The finalists in the Positive Role Model: Race, Faith or Religion category include Nazim Ali, Taylor Mirkarimi, Raj Randhawa, Tashi Brown, Dharmesh Mistry, Sachin Patel, Aisha Thomas and Jonir Ali.
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