Bradford gets UK's first Muslim woman lord mayor
- Published
Bradford council says the city has installed the first Muslim woman to become lord mayor in the UK.
Naveeda Ikram, a Labour councillor for Little Horton since 2004, was officially installed at a ceremony in Bradford City Hall on Tuesday.
Mrs Ikram and her husband Saqib Salam Shah succeed Peter Hill and his wife Gillian as lord mayor and consort.
A psychology and sociology graduate, Mrs Ikram has served as deputy Lord Mayor of Bradford since 2009.
Mrs Ikram was also the first woman of Pakistani origin to become councillor in Bradford.
In 2007 Mrs Ikram was one of only two Bradford councillors picked to take part in a national course designed to identify future leaders.
'Active ambassador'
Mrs Ikram is the co-founder of Bradford Unites in Disaster, an umbrella organisation representing fundraising groups across the district.
She is also a governor at Newby and Bankfoot primary schools in Bradford.
Mrs Ikram said it was "a great privilege" to be selected as Lord Mayor of Bradford.
She said: "I am looking forward to being a positive and active ambassador for this wonderful district.
"I'm keen to see more participation and better confidence from all communities in the democratic process."
Mrs Ikram said community cohesion in Bradford would be an important focus during her time in office.