Published Monday 12 February 2018 at 13:46
A scout leader will be recognised for his work in bringing people together at a special celebration later this month.
Stuart Parker is this year’s recipient of the Council Leader Award created by community group One Voice.
The award acknowledges people that have promoted community cohesion through leadership and is chosen by the leader of the Council.
Stuart will receive his award at the One Voice Annual Awards Dinner.
Councillor Mohammed Khan, Leader of the Council, will present it to him.
Stuart, who is the District Explorer Scout Commissioner, has been involved in scouting all his life and has served in numerous roles for Blackburn scouts.
He has been instrumental in scouting developing in many Black and Minority Ethnic communities around Blackburn.
As well as scouting, Stuart is a committee member at St George’s Church and is involved in many projects locally as well as developing the Young Leader programme for teenage children from around Blackburn.
Councillor Khan said:
Stuart is a worthy winner of this award. He has done much good work over the years to promote community cohesion. He has led efforts to build bridges between different communities by introducing scouting to many different children from a variety of different backgrounds.
Stuart, District Explorer Scout Commissioner and Leader at St. George’s Scout Group, said:
I am both humbled and honoured to receive the Community Leadership Award from the Leader of the Council, Cllr Mohammed Khan.
It’s a massive privilege to accept this award, which reflects the efforts of all the fantastic volunteers from Blackburn District Scouts who work tirelessly to help young people experience adventures of a lifetime.
We have made great strides in ensuring scouting in Blackburn is as diverse as the community it serves and it’s wonderful to see all our groups working together week in week out. I look forward to continuing to dedicate my time to help grow Scouting within the wide range of communities in our town.
Abrar Hussain, Chairman One Voice Blackburn, said:
Stuart’s contribution to the young people in Blackburn and Darwen is nothing short of phenomenal. Stuart plays an instrumental role in helping start many of the new groups in the district. It is with his ongoing support to leaders and young people alike that allows Blackburn scouting communities to thrive and grow.