Tyne and Wear fire officer scoops Asian business award

A Tyne and Wear fire officer has won a top award at the regional Asian Business Connexions Awards.

Mehrban Sadiq, who is a community safety officer with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, won the Public Sector award at the ceremony held at the Beacon business centre, in Westgate Road.

Mehrban, who is based at Newcastle Central Community Fire Station, is a former chairman of the national Asian Fire Service Association (AFSA) and does voluntary work involving fire safety and first aid with a number of international charities in his own time.

As part of the community safety team working with black and minority ethnic groups, he has played a key role in building links between the Service and local Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Chinese and other community groups to help protect them from fire and to promote careers in the fire and rescue service.

Mehrban said: “Being part of the community safety team and working with the business community and the general public for the last nine years has been a fantastic opportunity for me.

“I’m very proud to win this award against some really strong nominees, and it gives me great satisfaction that the work I’m doing clearly speaks for itself. A lot of the businesses I work with also support my charity work abroad, for which I am very grateful.”

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Chris Lowther, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: “On behalf of everyone at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service I would like to congratulate Mehrban on this excellent achievement. He has shown great dedication and commitment to strengthening our links with a wide range of diverse business communities to provide advice on fire safety, and this award is thoroughly deserved.”

Asian Business Connexions is a not-for-profit community interest company. The social enterprise was established in 2009 by Ammar Mirza CBE and aims to connect, support and promote the Asian and wider business community in the North East.

Ammar Mirza said: “The judges felt that the work Mehrban does, not just within his own organisation but in terms of promoting cohesion between the Asian and other communities, made him deserving of the award. He is a great ambassador locally and has also made a big impact on the much wider community both here and in other countries.”