Every Finalist is Already a Winner
Community Champions Celebrated at 1V Awards 2026 Finalists Event
One Voice Blackburn proudly welcomed finalists, sponsors and community leaders to a celebratory evening at the Industry Collaboration Zone at Blackburn College, marking the official unveiling of finalists for the 1V Awards 2026.
Hosted by 16-year-old Safiyyah Hassan, the event recognised 24 finalists across six flagship award categories, honouring individuals and organisations whose dedication continues to strengthen communities across Blackburn with Darwen.
The evening opened with a warm welcome to guests and a tribute to the extraordinary impact finalists have made across the borough. CEO Zaffer Khan spoke about the continued growth of the 1V Awards and their role in spotlighting the town’s unsung heroes.
“Tonight is about celebrating the spirit of Blackburn,” he said. “These finalists represent compassion, resilience and service. The values that make our town proud.”
A deeply moving moment of the evening came during the presentation of the Aya Hachem Young Person of the Year category. The award, renamed in 2021 in Aya’s memory, continues to honour her legacy by recognising exceptional young people who inspire hope and unity. Guests joined in a standing ovation for the finalists, acknowledging the emotional significance of the tribute.
Certificates were presented across the following categories:
Aya Hachem Young Person of the Year
Group of the Year
Health Award
Apprentice of the Year
Man of the Year
Woman of the Year
Each category showcased powerful stories of volunteerism, leadership and innovation that continue to uplift the borough.
The charity recognised the long-standing support of headline sponsors Together Housing and Newground Together, who have backed the awards since 2021. Representatives praised the finalists and reaffirmed their commitment to community development.
Kasira Ahmed, speaking on behalf of headline sponsors Together Housing and Newground Together, said: “Tonight we celebrate the people and groups who help Blackburn and Darwen thrive. While we provide homes across the North, our true purpose is building strong, connected communities, something we’re proud to do alongside One Voice Blackburn. The finalists represent dedication, creativity and compassion, and their work makes this town brighter every day. We are proud to stand beside them and congratulate every one of them.”
Additional category sponsors included: Blackburn and Darwen Youth Zone, Spring North, SP Electricity Northwest, Exchange Blackburn, McM Accounting.
Spring North was welcomed as a new awards partner and announced it will present three awards at the main dinner, including an overall winner who will receive a £2,500 prize. They also celebrated their finalists for three main categories.
Guests also heard from Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, who praised the scale and impact of the awards, describing them as the borough’s largest celebration of community volunteering. He confirmed the forthcoming announcement of the Leader’s Award.
The John Roberts Outstanding Achievement Award would also be revealed ahead of the main ceremony.
The celebration concluded with excitement building for the 12th 1V Awards Dinner, themed Movie Night, where winners will be crowned later this spring. Safiyyah Hassan will return as host alongside 14-year-old co-host Malaaikah Muhammad, continuing the tradition of young community voices leading the event.
Closing the evening, Safiyyah thanked finalists, sponsors and guests.
“Every finalist is already a winner. Tonight proves how much heart exists in our town. We cannot wait to celebrate with you all again at the awards dinner.”
One of the finalists at the reception spoke highly of the organisation.
“It was lovely to meet and chat to people and it was so inspiring to hear about all the good work which is taking place in the Borough and to learn more about the initiatives which One Voice arranges in liaison with other partners,” said Mary Painter.