LOCAL COMMUNITY FIGURE IS AWARDED MBE

Bashir Ahmed, Manager of the Walsall Housing Regeneration Agency has been awarded an MBE for his work within the Community in Walsall and Neighbourhood Wardens.

Bashir was awarded the medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in June and collected the honour in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in November. Bashir has been actively working in the Walsall community for many years as the Manager of Walsall Housing Regeneration Agency, which manages the award winning Walsall Neighbourhood Wardens.

Through his work with the wardens he was appointed as a ‘Champion of Wardens’ by the then Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions’ (DTLR) Neighbourhood Renewal Unit in 2002, then shortly after in 2003, was awarded the manager of the year title at the National Wardens Conference. Bashir won his award for the time and dedication given to running and expanding the Wardens scheme in Walsall.

In the last three years Bashir has also successfully set up and managed the thriving West Midlands Wardens and Neighbourhood Resource Centre, a source of information, advice, training and support to around 60 Neighbourhood warden schemes who are actively working to combat crime and Anti – Social Behaviour.

“All of us who work with Bashir are immensely proud of this public recognition of his tireless work in creating and developing the highly successful regional Wardens Resource Centre, one of the first in the country and now a model of best practice,” says Chris Handy, Chief Executive of Accord Housing Association, “Countless local communities and neighbourhoods have benefited from the inspirational work he and his colleagues have carried out at the Centre to train and support their wardens.”

If you would like to contact the wardens or obtain any more information on what wardens are doing in your area please contact Rhona Gudgin, Wardens co-ordinator on 0121 568 7070.