Dudley community association celebrates Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
Members of a community association in the Black Country are celebrating after being awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in recognition of their hard work.
The Halesowen/Dudley Yemeni Community Association was handed the accolade, the highest award a voluntary group can receive, during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
The association, based in Highfield Lane in Halesowen, offers Arabic language classes, English for speakers of other languages, bereavement support and mediation.
It also offers awareness sessions around drugs, racism and bullying among other topics, guidance to members of the community and support for asylum seekers and refugees.
Marwan Bakaili, chairman of the association, said: "We are absolutely thrilled and honoured to be receiving The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK. This moment is extra special celebrating Queen’s Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee.
"We are hugely thankful for all our incredible team of volunteers who are the solid foundation in all the work and effort in ensuring and providing the vital services serving hundreds of people. This prestigious award is in honour of their magnificent contribution to serving the community.
"Together we have helped some of the most vulnerable people within the community especially during the worldwide Covid 19 pandemic, the most difficult period in recent history. We work in partnerships with many groups and organisations from educational, health, employment training, recreational to provide the vital services that meet the needs and demands of the local community."
Mr Bakaili added: "We would like to thank the Yemeni community within the Halesowen and the wider Dudley borough for their incredible support and generous donations over many years which has contributed towards the completion of a new purpose-built, state-of-the-art community building that is now a major dynamic vibrant hub for the whole community.
"We thank all that have made this happen. We are all stronger together."
