Club chairman wins award for Race Relations
 Saifur Rahman (centre) with Councillor Russell Roberts, chairman of South Wales Police Authority (left) and Deputy Chief Constable Peter Vaughn (right). |
The Chairman of a multi-cultural football team has been named South Wales Police Authority's Community Safety Volunteer of the Year.
Saifur Rahman beat off competition from 58 other nominees across the force area to scoop the prize for his work with the Port Talbot Tigers.
The team originally kicked-off as a way of helping to integrate youngsters from the Bengali community, but it now includes players from Afro-Caribbean, Indian, Turkish and Vietnamese backgrounds, as well as Bengali and Welsh.
Russell Roberts, chairman of the police authority, said:
"Saifur is a young man who has worked for a long time to help break down the boundaries for Muslim people within Port Talbot. He has proven to be an invaluable link for the police to help to engage with young people and the Muslim community.We awarded him the prize because we felt his work went way and above what would be expected. He really is our communities' shining light."
Twenty-six-year-old Mr Rahman, who is also secretary of the Port Talbot mosque, said he was surprised to win the award.
"I do not do the work for any recognition at all," he said.
"I just feel there is a need for someone from my background to help to integrate different communities together — which I think is very important."
Established in 2005, the awards are designed to recognise those who give their time to help make their community safer.
Also picking-up a gong at the police authority awards, held in Port Talbot's Princess Royal Theatre, was Donald Paddison, from Caeconna Road, Swansea.
He was named the Swansea area winner for his long-standing Neighbourhood Watch work.
Meanwhile Rosanna Jones, from Margam, was named Young Volunteer of the Year.
This article is taken from www.ThisIsSouthWales.co.uk