King's birthday honours: Former refugee appointed MBE

Mohammed Fahim said he was proud to live in Walsall as it is a very diverse community

A man who fled Afghanistan 20 years ago has been appointed an MBE for his services to the community in Walsall.

Mohammed Fahim said he taught himself how to speak English when he arrived to the town, with no family or friends.

The 46-year-old now runs the Afghan Welfare Centre and helped many members of the community during the Covid-19 lockdown.

"It has given me more strength to continue work," he said.

"I started my life from scratch, no family, no friends, nothing."

Mr Fahim was named in the King's birthday honours on Friday.

He said he had been prompted to help other refugees after struggling to access support himself, particularly when he did not know the language.

Mr Fahim helps other refugees settle into society

Mr Fahim supports people with paper work such as applying for universal credits, housing and healthcare.

He, alongside other volunteer groups in Walsall, also delivered medicine and food parcels vulnerable people during lockdown, and said he still kept in touch with many of them.

Mr Fahim said he now told other refugees: "Today you need help, tomorrow you give help."

Community activist and bishop Dr Desmond Jaddoo, who is chair of the Windrush National Organisation, was also appointed MBE.

"First thing I am going to do is make sure my wife and children enjoy the moment, let them savour that moment," he said.

The 56-year-old is also a vocal anti-racism campaigner and was prominent during the wave of protests in the West Midlands in the wake of George Floyd's death in the US.

Bishop Dr Desmond Jaddoo said the MBE was for his wife and children as the nature of his work takes him away from them

Others to be honoured include Suzanne Richards from Wednesbury, who lost three members of her family in the 2015 Tunisia terror attacks.

She has become an MBE for her work with the charity Smile for Joel, supporting homicide victims' families.

Salma Bano Zulfiqar, from Solihull, was awarded a BEM for services to Art and to Education.

She was one of the first Asian women to travel to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in 2000, to cover underreported stories, through art.

Ms Zulfiqar said her first trip was "terrifying".

She is also the founder and director of ARTconnects, working to empower girls, women and men in the UK and around the world.

Salma Bano Zulfiqar is the founder and director of ARTconnects

Some of the other people on the honours list in Birmingham and the Black Country, include:

Dame

• Dr Neslyn Eugenie Watson-Druee CBE Voluntary Chair, Birmingham and Midlands Women Economic Forum, for services for services to women and to ethnic minorities

CBE

• Clenton Anthony Farquharson MBE Associate and Chair of Think Local Act Personal, for services to disability personalisation, social care and health policy

• Ann Elizabeth Bentley, Global Board Member at Rider Levett Bucknall, for services to construction

OBE

• Professor Aravinthan Coomarasamy, Professor of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine at the University of Birmingham appointed for services to maternal health

• Stephen Glyn Hughes Chief Executive Officer, Education Impact Academy Trust, Birmingham, for services to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

MBE

• Darnish Amraz Youth Worker for Birmingham City Youth Service, for services to young people in Birmingham

• Harvinder Singh Rai, West Midlands Police Sergeant, for services to policing and to the Sikh community

• Eniola Aluko, ex Chelsea, England and Juventus footballer from Birmingham, for services to Association Football and charity

BEM

• Rekesh Chauhan, Pianist and Composer, for services to music, charity and to mental health in the British Asian Community, particularly during Covid-19

• Geoffrey Cole Chairman of Birmingham Trees for Life, for services to horticulture and environment