<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;">Congratulations Awazites - surely Lord Javed merely a matter of time!<br><br>all the very best to the whole team up in Glasgie.<br><br>--- On <b>Wed, 2/6/10, CMA-L <i><cma-l@commedia.org.uk></i></b> wrote:<br><blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"><br>From: CMA-L <cma-l@commedia.org.uk><br>Subject: [cma-l] Awaz FM Becomes First Community Radio Station in the UK to Win The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service<br>To: cma-l@commedia.org.uk, comradio-l@commedia.org.uk<br>Date: Wednesday, 2 June, 2010, 11:36<br><br><div class="plainMail">Awaz FM, the voice of Glasgow’s ethnic communities, has become the<br>first community radio station in the UK to win The Queen’s Award for<br>Voluntary Service, the MBE for volunteer groups.<br><br>The prestigious National Honour recognises outstanding
contributions<br>made to local communities by groups voluntarily devoting their time<br>for the benefit of others. It sets the national benchmark for<br>excellence in volunteering, with the work of those awarded being<br>judged of the highest standard.<br><br>Attracting more than 200,000 listeners a week, Awaz, which translates<br>as ‘voice’ in Urdu and Hindi, is the only media platform where<br>information and services can be delivered in a multilingual format.<br><br>The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service recognises the outstanding<br>contributions made to local communities by groups in the UK<br>voluntarily devoting their time for the benefit of others. It is the<br>highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK for outstanding<br>work done in their local communities.<br><br>Ali Malik, director at Awaz FM said, “We are honoured to win this very<br>prestigious award and accept it on behalf of our many volunteers,<br>without whose
support the voice of Glasgow’s ethnic communities would<br>fall silent.<br><br>“In accepting this award, I would like therefore to acknowledge the<br>tremendous support Awaz FM has received from volunteers, local<br>organisations and business and, of course, our many listeners. I am<br>confident that this recognition of our achievements will help ensure<br>that Awaz FM continues to provide an important community service to<br>Glasgow’s ethnic communities for many years to come.”<br><br>Awaz FM will receive a certificate signed by the Queen and an<br>exclusive commemorative crystal, presented by the Lord Provost of<br>Glasgow Bob Winter at a special ceremony. The station has also<br>received an invitation for representatives to attend a Royal Garden<br>Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the summer.<br><br>The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Main Award Committee Chair and<br>former broadcast journalist Martyn Lewis CBE
said,<br><br>“Outstanding volunteer groups across the UK all too often go without<br>recognition for the truly amazing work they do, despite the vital part<br>they play in helping bind our communities together. It’s a great<br>pleasure to celebrate the efforts of Awaz FM with The Queen’s Award<br>for Voluntary Service and help raise awareness of all they do for the<br>benefit of others.”<br><br>One of the first community radio stations in the UK to win a license<br>and operated by more than 50 volunteers ranging in age from 11 to 65,<br>with even its directors working on a voluntary basis, Awaz FM employs<br>only three full-time staff. Amongst its many community initiatives is<br>a ‘Basic Radio Skills’ media training course aimed at anyone<br>interested in developing new skills for further education or to give<br>them confidence to enhance their employment opportunities.<br><br>Awaz FM serves the Asian and African community in Glasgow,
delivering<br>entertainment, community information, local, national and<br>international news broadcasting in Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Swahili and<br>English. It works with many organisations including Glasgow City<br>Council, Greater Glasgow Health Board, Community Planning Partnership,<br>Strathclyde Police, Fire Brigade, Scottish Government, Cemvo, Gara and<br>West of Scotland Racial Equality Council in delivering their services<br>to the Asian and African Community.<br><br>ENDS<br><br><a href="http://www.allmediascotland.com/media_releases/25802/awaz-fm-becomes-first-community-radio-station-in-the-uk-to-win-the-queen-s-award-for-voluntary-service" target="_blank">http://www.allmediascotland.com/media_releases/25802/awaz-fm-becomes-first-community-radio-station-in-the-uk-to-win-the-queen-s-award-for-voluntary-service</a><br><br>For further information please contact Ali Malik tel 0141 420 6666<br><br>\\<br><br>Community Media Association<br>-- <br><a
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