A POLITICIAN has nominated a Bolton charity for a prestigious volunteering award.

Homeless Aid UK has been chosen by Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi in her nomination for the Queen's Award of Voluntary Service for 2022.

Homeless Aid UK was informally established in 2011 by a group of friends dedicated to ending homelessness and supporting the vulnerable.

The charity has over 300 volunteers throughout Bolton and across the North West.

Homeless Aid UK provide food vouchers every week as well as running street kitchens, with the Bolton Street Kitchen providing over 400 meals per week for the most vulnerable. The charity also undertakes outreach activities with the homeless in Manchester providing support wherever necessary.

At the start of the pandemic, Homeless Aid established a food bank which has gone from strength to strength, providing around 2000 hampers to individuals and families throughout the last 15 months. Beneficiaries of these hampers include army veterans, the elderly, and families.

Billa Ahmed, of Homeless Aid UK, said: “Our team of unpaid volunteers hail from multicultural and diverse backgrounds. They are selfless, committed and compassionate, and the team work tirelessly, whether at the forefront or behind the scenes, to support the most vulnerable.

“We are very proud to be nominated for this award.”

Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East said: “It is my pleasure to nominate Homeless Aid UK for this award and I’d also like to pay tribute to the work Billa and the team have been doing not just over the past year throughout the pandemic, but also over the last 10 years supporting some of the most vulnerable in Bolton.”

Previous recipients of the award include radio stations, the British Red Cross, and museums.