A community-minded resident who goes out of their way to help their neighbours without expecting or receiving anything in return

ABID ZAHMAN

Abid lives on Kirkham Road in Bradford, and is a quiet force for good in his community.

Kate Armitstead, who nominated Abid, writes: “I have only recently got to know Abid. He is a local resident that’s house backs onto a local neglected playing field. He has recently started to attend Neighbourhood forums and is determined to get people active in the area, to improve the local community.

“Abid is not just a talker. He is determined to see changes in his neighbourhood and encourages everyone to do there bit. He is not outspoken and looking for recognition, but is determined to see his area improved. He is reliable, sticks to his word and is reasonable in negotiating services for his area. He is an organiser and has a vision for his community.”

One recent example of Abid’s drive to improve his local area came when he was fed up of the playing fields looking a mess. The grass is regularly cut through a council contract, but because of overgrown grass at the edges of the field, litter and flytipping, the cutter could not get close to the eges.

Kate says: “Therefore he has organised his neighbours and they have worked tirelessly each Sunday to get the area cleared using their own materials such as strimmer and using their own vehicles to take the waste to the tip.”

Following on from this Abid held his first resident association meeting and the group have further plans for the area, particularly for young people, neighbourhood watch and to improve their local environment.

ZENA MOZIL

At the age of 84, Zena displays energy and drive that would put people a quarter of her age to shame.

She is a popular figure in her Shipley community and one person who nominated her declared: “Zena is the best neighbour you could ever imagine.”

Zena is multi-lingual and can communicate in English, Polish, Russian, Italian, Ukrainian and German, enabling her to be a focal point for many parts of the community.

She came to the UK from war-torn Poland and Ukraine during WW2. Zena has lived in Shipley since 1947 and has developed a huge social network, with people of different nationality.

Her nomination form reads: “Even her former neighbours still come to see her. So many people from different age grouping come round to her house to see her, she is a living legend.

“Zena’s husband Basil, had a severe stroke and became disabled, he has now passed away. Zena looked after him for 17 years, a true caring wife, who looked after her husband instead of sending him to a care home. A very determined and caring lady.”

Zena does shopping for a 75-year-old disabled neighbour, and has also done years of voluntary service with the Polish Club, serving lunches to the elderly. She looks after neighbourhood pets/gardens when owners are on holidays. She has a lot of friends, who go with her on organised trips.

The nomination adds: “Zena loves children and spends time talking to them in our streets. Her home phone is always engaged as she is in demand most of the time.

“I am a brain tumour cancer patient; she has always been ultra supportive to me and my family. I truly believe that she is the best neighbour in the district, hence my nomination.”

AYAS KHAN

Ayas, who lives in Fourth Avenue, Bradford, is one of those people his neighbours just can’t do without.

He carries out lots of small goodwill tasks that, when added together, help to create a stronger community and which encourage others to be as neighbourly as he is, paying his good works forward and helping yet more people.

Sometimes being a good neighbour can be just as easy as taking out bins on collection day, and bringing them back into people’s property. This is what Ayas does, and it brought him to the attention of a woman who had just moved on to his street.

His nomination reads: “When she realised someone else had put her bin in she was mystified that someone would do something like this for a stranger! She has now started bringing her neighbours bins in.”

So a simple job for Ayas helped someone else become a good neighbour too.

The nomination adds: “He also ends up helping friends and family of neighbours. He also keeps an active eye on the street (an informal neighbourhood watch) and will talk to people about what is affecting them.”

Click here for a form to cast your vote in the Good Neighbour category