Bradford Heroes: Going above and beyond for communities

The coronavirus pandemic has drawn us together with members of the public giving a helping hand to those they don't know and others going the extra mile to look after those who need it.

We've become a district who go out onto their doorsteps on a Thursday to Clap for Carers and our giving to good causes like Captain Tom Moore's appeal for the NHS Charities has stepped up a gear.

To mark all this the Telegraph & Argus is today lauding those who sometimes do not get the credit they deserve and who have been nominated by family, friends, acquaintances or fans who appreciate what they have done to stem the Covid-19 crisis, ease suffering or just bring some cheers into people's lives.

This week we are running a series of lists of those who have been nominated by you, our readers, to say thanks for what you've done in these days of darkness.

Today we look at those from our communities who have been nominated by members of the public across the district.

ROCKWELL COMMUNITY CENTRE

Rockwell Community Centre based at Thorpe Edge have been giving a valuable service to the elderly and vulnerable people by delivering food parcels on a daily basis. If I had to nominate it would be two people and they are Sandra Bergin and Diana Ross. These two women have been going in at 7am every morning to make these food parcels - hot meals and a dessert to be delivered by other staff members in time for lunch. This service has been a lifeline to certain members of that neighbourhood .

Peter Warwick

SALAHADIN MOSQUE (BRADFORD) AND THE WEST YORKSHIRE KURDISH COMMUNITY CENTRE

Salahadin Mosque (Bradford) and the West Yorkshire Kurdish Community Centre wanted to sincerely thank our NHS staff at BRI and Yorkshire Ambulance Service staff in Bradford for their continued commitment and hard work. Unbelievably, they gave a gigantic generous donation of several thousands of pounds of food, snacks, crisps, nuts, chocolate, beverages, chocolates and 2,000 face masks. Theire members must be immensely charitable because many of them are migrants who live on the poverty line and yet amongst the small community in Bradford the Masjid received several thousands of pounds for our BRI and West Yorkshire Ambulance nurses and doctors. They are an example to all of us on how to be truly charitable. A heartfelt thanks from Bradford4Better to all those who donated. True Heroes of Bradford.

Bradford4Better

KML Project

I would like to nominate the KML Project for all their hard work providing hygiene essentials to low income families and homeless people and helping people in the community to keep clean during this crisis. It has not been easy for them to keep up with the demand of getting hygiene packs due to limit of products they could buy from the shops. But they did tirelessly every day providing all over Bradford. Through their hard work 100% donations have carried on throughout. Haleemah who is the main person of the KML Project got up every day and carried on. I want to nominate the project because they deserve it.

Eisa Khan

I'd like to nominate the KML Project in Bradford. The project is run by Haleemah Mahmood, a social worker, and is mainly Bradford based. I believe she is worthy of this nomination because she has dedicated her time (even prior to the pandemic) in ensuring low income families, homeless individuals and refugees and recently has also been supporting schools in ensuring individuals get hygiene packs. These include an array of branded toiletries, including sanitary products. The project has a 100% donation policy and Haleemah has been excellent in recruiting volunteers. She has shown her determination to provide support through her fundraising ideas on social media. Well done!

Neelam Mahmood

LEYTOP PRIMARY SCHOOL

I nominate Leytop Primary, Allerton, Bradford, for everything they have done for the children at the school making dinners for them, giving food bank vouchers and also giving food parcels out to families that are in need of them.

Nichola Pickering

PAULA HILL

I'd like to nominate Paula Hill from Queensbury. Every day she is cooking and making meals for the vulnerable and elderly in Queensbury free of charge. To help raise funds she is also doing afternoon tea and delivery to make extra funds so she can feed those who are in need.

Katrina

HANSON ACADEMY

Hanson academy for providing PPE equipment.

Carol Weston

ABDUL SATAR

Abdul Satar, of Bradford Community Kitchen, has been feeding the needy and vulnerable of our communities for many years now.

Biggy Ali

CATS VOLUNTEERS

Ally Bee, of Ally Cats, for looking after the abandoned cats. Bee Rohan Tolkien MA for going up to clean after them. BJ Nixon for fostering abandoned kittens. Vicky Cockroft for fundraising for them along with Katty Kaz. And many more volunteers for their hard work looking after our abandoned animals. All charities for carrying on without any help and all fundraising activities cancelled.

Karenstephen Lee

INAYAH SHER

Inayah Sher from Bradford4Better has worked continuously in getting food and essential goods to poor families across the district and has never refused a needy person. She managed to get pet food to so many families who were worried about not being able to afford to feed their beloved animals. Inayah has really taken civcness to a new level during this pandemic.

Anonymous

Inayah Sher needs some recognition for all her hard work with Bradford4Better.

Lisa Walker

NATASHA KHAN

I would like to nominate someone who I think totally deserves the “Hero’s there with you” award. I’m sure there will be several hundred people saying the same. She’s truly inspirational, she’s helped everyone from her neighbour to the community, NHS workers, key workers, care workers and beyond, by organising raffles to raise money to donate to NHS, cooking food, making food hampers for the NHS staff, going out shopping and delivering for the elderly, ill, vulnerable etc. She suffers with several problems of her own including depression and anxiety attacks, but yet still seems to amaze us as she plunges herself into the unknown to help all these people in any way she can. The world would be so much of a better place if everyone was like Natasha Khan.

Heather Mannion

FOOD FOR LIFE BRADFORD

I would like to nominate several people who are ensuring no one in the local community goes hungry. Food for Life Bradford has been working in partnership with Newlands Furniture and Bradford Play Network to deliver food parcels and craft activity packs to families in the BD10 area. There are a mixture of workers and volunteers who are working throughout this difficult time to ensure that families are looked after.

Lisa Tallant

SHADIM HUSSAIN

Shadim Hussain has been tirelessly putting together a response from the Bradford Foundation Trust. That has so far involved 400 volunteer hours, 1,100 phone calls, 180 sports packs for refugees and asylum seeker families, 1,250 meals for the same group. He has also organised for Wifi access and tablet provision for refugee children who were missing out on school engagement due to lack of facilities. He is a Board member of Bradford 4 Better and Bradford Foundation Trust.

Anonymous

DAVID SPENCER AND STEVE HOCKEY

David Spencer, of Braithwaite, and Steve Hockey, of Long Lee, since lockdown began they have been sourcing food and other essentials, sometimes from supermarkets and sometimes from bulk suppliers, and taking it to about 160 vulnerable people across the whole of Keighley. They pay for most of it themselves but get some food, nappies etc, and cash, donated.

Anonymous

BRADFORD AND AIREDALE COMMUNITY EQUIPMENT SERVICE

The BACES team have worked all through the crisis delivering and collecting medical equipment such as beds commodes etc entering properties daily where there is known to be Covid-19. The equipment collected is deep cleaned and serviced and sent back out to clients. The whole team have worked over the Bank Holidays and Saturdays to keep up with the needs of the NHS. The delivery guys always have a smile and are very helpful.

Anonymous

ANTON TAVERIER

I want to nominate a young man who until recently I had never even met. His name I understand is Anton Taverier and I think he is 14 years old. I live in the Denbrook area of Bradford. Due to my age I am housebound for the period we are in Covid-19. At the beginning of lockdown he must have recognised that I was living on my own and he asked if I required support. I was struck by such a lovely gesture. We agreed a system that if I put a red card in my window that meant that I needed some help with shopping or other assistance, if I put a green card in then I didn't need anything on that day. This has helped me tremendously. What made it so special was that on VE Day he actually made a parcel of goods for me so that I did not feel left out as he wanted me to be able to participate somehow in the VE celebrations which meant so much to me - and again, all from someone I had never met before until very recently. What a lovely and outstanding young man he is. He has been a key worker to me and I do hope you can recognise him as such.

Joan Dennison

RUTH BELCHER

I’d like to nominate my mum Ruth Belcher who cleans Virgin Media offices on Cutler Heights so that engineers can safely carry out their jobs. Not only with just gloves and an apron is she exposing herself to Covid-19 but other germs as well on a daily basis. I wish to mention her as a cleaner as cleaners always get ignored and as well as working she has found the time to support my grandma who has dementia and also ring me and make sure I am OK as I have mental health problems and long term chronic illness. I am so proud of her.

Judith Herron

MORRISONS TELESALES STAFF

Can I thank Morrisons for their new telesales shopping service. We have elderly neighbours and a disabled grandson who are full of praise for the service. Because they don’t have access to a computer and can just ring the phone number provided which I gave them, they have enjoyed ringing and placing their orders. It has also given them new-found independence. The staff are very helpful and polite. So a big thank you Morrisons for all you are doing.

Jan Merifield

• If you would like to nominate an individual or group for our Bradford Heroes series, send an email to newsdesk@telegraphandargus.co.uk with their name, your name and why you are nominating them. Please attach a picture of them if you have one.