One Voice Blackburn received an unprecedented number of nominations for the five awards. Nearly 500 nominations were received for the 1V Awards Dinner, making it the most popular in its 10-year history. 

The winners will be announced at a prestigious ceremony on
25th February 2023, in King George’s Hall, Blackburn.

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The Aya Hachem young Person of the Year award is named after the young student who was tragically murdered in May 2020. The Award is sponsored by Blackburn College. The nominees are; Hasti Jahanghiri, Muhammed Karbhari, Safaa Patel, and Layton Smalley.

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The 1V Group of the year is sponsored by Blackburn Youth Zone and features five nominated organisations including; Better Bodies, Blackburn Foodbank, the Equality Diversity and Inclusion unit at Lancashire Constabulary, Secret Sheikh and Shin Gi-Ruh.

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The 1V Man of the Year is sponsored by Reel Cinema Blackburn and the final four finalists are; John East, Naseem Khan, Dr Abdussamad Mulla, and Yasir Sufi.

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The 1V Woman of the Year 2023 features a stellar line up of some of the best community activists in Blackburn with Darwen. They are; Zee Jogi, Uzma Khan, Vicky McGurk and Sadia Mehmood. The Award is sponsored by Lancashire Mind.

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The 1V Health Award, sponsored by Spring North, is a new award which includes individuals and organisations as finalists. The finalists are; Banu Adam, Fez Awan, Lancashire Fire, IMO Charity and Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service.

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The finalists have all demonstrated support for the Blackburn with Darwen community through volunteering or creative ideas that have improved the lives of others. There is a special focus on cohesion and diversity.

A further two ‘special’ awards will be announced before the event. They are the Leader’s Award sponsored by Blackburn with Darwen Council, and The John Roberts Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Let’s Foster. These awards will be directly chosen by the trustees of One Voice Blackburn and will receive their accolades at the ceremony in late February.

The 1V Awards Dinner has been running since 2013, and is regarded as the largest and most prestigious community based ceremony in the town. Over 400 guests are expected to attend glittering awards event in King George’s Hall where the winners, selected by trustees of One Voice Blackburn, will be announced. This year’s event theme is Saturday Night Fever.

The event will be hosted by a group of 14 year-old girls who are all part of One Voice Blackburn’s youth groups – Alisha Seedat, Aleeza Isa and Maya Khalid. They will be joined by a 13 year-old boy – Bilal Hussain.

1V Awards Manager and One Voice Blackburn Marketing Lead, Sundas Bakhat, was pleasantly surprised by the response this year. “The breadth and scope of the nominees is truly remarkable. We live in a town which has people and organisations who are constantly engaged in charitable, volunteering and innovative ventures. Our final list is probably the best yet in our ten years of the 1V Awards, and that is saying something. With the sheer number of nominations received it is indeed a major prize to be on the finalist list. So well done to all 21 in the shortlist.”

A few tickets remain for the 1V Awards Dinner, priced at £30 each. For further information please contact One Voice on 01254 676193, or info@1vblackburn.org.