PKWA event celebrates anniversary

Award winners: The Kramblers won an award at the Pakistan and Kashmir Welfare Association event.

The celebration event was attended by well over 300 people from across the district as well as the mayors of both Rochdale and Oldham.

The charity was established to challenge discrimination and to tackle the various social, health, economic, and employment challenges which beset the Pakistani and Kashmiri communities in the 1990s.

Over the years the organisation has fulfilled its mission in a number of ways, both by challenging mainstream institutions and later by delivering frontline health, social and educational services from their own purpose-built community centre, as well as offering a friendly and accessible space where people from all faiths and communities can meet.

Celebrasting success at the Pakistan and Kashmir Welfare Association event's award presentation.

A spokesman said: “A number of speakers gave moving and passionate speeches congratulating the PKWA and wishing the organisation continued success.

“The event culminated in the presentation of the now celebrated and eagerly anticipated PKWA awards for outstanding achievements by local individuals.

“The awards, which undoubtedly raised the greatest applause, went to the brave women who scaled Mount Snowden to raise more than £8,000 for the Moonlight Trust.

“The Kramblers, who returned from the successfully climb to K2 base, fundraised for another charity and were also the recipients of an award along with Nousheen Raja for the Moonlight Trust, Mayor Javid Iqbal, Hafiz Abdul Qayum for Kramblers, Nisar Bangali and Sharon Kingswood of Asda.”