Yaqoob’s a knockout in Community Volunteer Awards!

Boxing judge and referee Yaqoob Hussain MBE received the Lifetime Achievement Award at last month’s Community Volunteer Awards.

71 year old Yaqoob has been involved in boxing for the last 52 years, and runs the Blackburn with Darwen Police ABC boxing club with the aim of giving young people in the area positive activities to get involved in – and deterring them from falling into crime.

Over the years, Yaqoob has supported thousands of young people, and worked hard to encourage women and girls to try the sport.

Yaqoob is also an England Boxing Level 4 coach and also an England Boxing referee and judge.

As such he travels the world, flying the flag for Blackburn with Darwen.

In 2011 Yaqoob received an MBE in recognition of his voluntary work with young people for almost four decades.

Yaqoob said:

Boxing is my life, my passion. I love the game and I enjoy helping young people. It is not a violent sport – amateur boxing is a very controlled sport that teaches discipline.

I like putting young people through the training and helping them.

Yaqoob Hussain was unable to attend the Community Volunteer Awards in Ewood Park last month, as he was representing England as a judge at a boxing competition in Ireland. His grandson Konain Hussain accepted the award on his behalf.

On receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 Community Volunteer Awards, Yaqoob added:

I am over the moon for winning the award as a volunteer as I didn’t have any expectations.

I would like to thank all the people involved for choosing me as winner of the award.

This week Councillor Phil Riley met with Yaqoob Hussain to personally congratulate him on his Lifetime Achievement Award success. Councillor Riley commented:

We’re lucky to have people like Yaqoob in our borough who selflessly give their time and talents to help other people. He’s spent decades sharing his love of boxing with thousands of young people in Blackburn with Darwen, with the aim of keeping them on the straight and narrow and helping them pursue positive activities.

Yaqoob doesn’t pull any punches – he even re-mortgaged his family home to open up his boxing gym on Burnley Road in Blackburn. That really is dedication to volunteering!

On behalf of the Council, I want to put on record our thanks to Yaqoob for all that he has achieved and all that he continues to do for the young people of the borough.

You can see the full list of winners in the 2025 Community Volunteer Awards.