A Blackburn man has been shortlisted for the Best Mosque Volunteer Award as part of the British Beacon Mosque Awards 2023.

The category recognises the commitment of Mosque volunteers, recognising the time, effort and hard work for the benefit of the Mosque and the local community.

Mohammed Ali Dhorat leads the bereavement team at Masjide Noorul Islam in Audley Range, Blackburn.

Beacon Mosque Award winners are decided by an independent panel of judges who review the submitted evidence from shortlisted finalists in detail, with a public vote providing a smaller weighting.

Chief executive of Faith Associates, and The Beacon Mosque Awards, Shaukat Warraich, said: “To be shortlisted for this prestigious award from amongst a very competitive category is a great honour and privilege.

"The nomination of this mosque by the community highlights their integral part in contributing to a thriving and cohesive society.

"Their hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed and can be a beacon for other aspiring mosques in the UK.”

The Beacon Mosque Awards, created by Faith Associates in 2018, is held annually to improve the standards of mosques nationally and to recognize the positive role mosques play throughout the UK.

Faith Associates was set up in 2004 as a non-theological consultancy to meet the needs of ethnic minority faith-based communities.

It works in a culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary way to provide research, training, advice and guidance to influence the challenges faced by communities.

A key area of focus is developing institutional governance, improving strategic choices and developing effective communication strategies.

The awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 25, in Greater Manchester, where the winners of all categories will be revealed.

This will occur after independent judges review and decide the shortlisted finalists. 

The public voting will finish on Friday, November 24, and you can throw your support behind Mohammed at the Beacon Mosque Awards website.