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The Bradford City FC Community Foundation is delighted to announce that it has been nominated in three categories for this year's #YorkshireChoiceAwards!
Leading the way are Pavan Sembi, our Head of PAC, who has been nominated for the Inspirational Individual of the Year 2024, and Mary Myers, a Foundation stalwart who regularly gives her time and efforts to the Foundation's projects, who has been nominated for Volunteer of the Year 2024.
The Foundation has also been nominated for the Charitable Excellence Award, in recognition of its continued social outreach, sports, and community support work from the past year.
Meet Pavan Sembi
Pavan has been a fixture of the Foundation's Peer Action Collective work for a long while now. Working tirelessly to deliver for the young people of Bradford, Pav heads a team which is focused on community outreach and social action projects. She has spear-headed numerous projects aimed at improving the wellbeing and circumstances of young people in the city, including her Knife on the Edge programme, aimed at educating young people about, and dissuading them from being involved in, knife crime.
Pav's PAC team also spearheaded a recent campaign with Northern combating unwanted sexual behaviour on the nation's railways. The campaign was a huge success, and typifies Pav and her team's ability to engage with societal issues on an engaging, nationally relevant level.
Pav is an indefatigable, irrepressible spirit, and brings energy and warmth to Foundation HQ. She is very deserving of this award - Pav would be the last person to seek acclaim and attention for the tireless work she puts in, at all hours, all week, every week. We feel this is precisely why she deserves to be recognised as the YCA's Inspirational Individual of the Year.
Meet Mary Myers
Mary is a dedicated individual who has devoted years to the Memories Cafe, where her focus is on creating a welcoming space for laughter, entertainment, education, and support for those who suffer from or support those with dementia. Her tireless efforts ensure the cafe runs smoothly each week with new themes and games. Mary's care and friendship are cherished by all attendees.
Beyond the cafe, Mary has played a crucial role in launching the Foundation's dementia-friendly "Friendship Cafe," generously sharing her knowledge and volunteering at the City Hub on Thursdays to enhance services for those who attend. Anyone who has the good fortune to meet Mary and spend any time with her will agree that she is truly one of a kind, one that the Foundation is forever grateful to work with, and someone who has earned your vote.
And finally, for your consideration:
Us. Your Bradford City FC Community Foundation.
We are sure you are familiar with the work we do in, and for, Bradford. Our mission statement reads "Working together to inspire and unite our city". Those aims have never rang more true than in the past year.
Our projects have been refined and have expanded. In 2024 we have launched a dementia-friendly friendship cafe and a highly successful, nationally celebrated food truck.
We are a small, unified and diligent team who are happy to provide for Bradford seven days a week. Our projects impact young people, through sport or social outreach, in and out of school, the elderly, at our City Hub and friendship cafe, and everyone in between.
We invite you to celebrate all we have achieved with us. Were it not for the support of the people of Bradford, the nation, even the world, we would not do what we do.