A BRADFORDIAN who used his get-up-and-go attitude to improve his community has won the Good Neighbour Award, sponsored by Incommunities.

Yasar Mohammed, who lives in Bradford Moor, said winning the award was “truly special”, adding that he wants to "encourage others to join [him] on this amazing journey."

Yasar hopes that his work will start a "chain reaction" across the district.

Reacting to the news, Yasar said: "First and foremost, I would like to thank every person who voted for me. I feel both privileged and honoured to know that my volunteering efforts have been acknowledged by the great people of Bradford.

"The nomination alone has been a humbling experience and for the public to have voted me as the winner is truly special.

"As part of my work in the community, I have always actively encouraged involvement by others as I feel change can only be made when people work together and support each other.

"I felt that if some of us got up and took action about the issues we are passionate about then this would create a chain reaction as others would follow. It turned out this was correct as we have seen there are many thousands of people across the city who want to see Bradford thrive and I am glad I have been able to contribute to that effort."

When asked about his hopes for the future of Bradford, Yasar described it as a "sleeping giant" that will blossom through actively tackling issues that blight our lives.

Yasar said: "Bradford is a magnificent city with so much character. I am certain the prospects for Bradford are amazing because there is so much hope and aspiration in the city.

"By tackling local issues such as anti-social behaviour, littering, fly-tipping, drug abuse and dangerous driving we can all improve the experiences of our neighbourhoods which will add to making this city grow and flourish.

"This city is a sleeping giant which is welcoming and full of charm. I am hopeful big multinational corporations will see the positive change being made in the city and therefore identify Bradford as a great place to invest and do business. Equally, we have one of the youngest populations that makes it ideal when planning for a workforce.

"We have great parks that are improving all the time like Bradford Moor park, Bowling park and now Horton Park redevelopment is being planned too. We have improving schools with an improving infrastructure so I can see all these things leading to this city reaching its potential in the next decade or so. These are my hopes anyway.

"Through the different community groups I have set up in all areas of Bradford and also through work with ‘Bradford 4 Better (B4B)’ & ‘Friends of Bradford Moor Park’, I hope to create a better environment by transforming places for people and young children to use and enjoy while also tackling issues relating to mental health & physical wellbeing."