South Asian charity founder honoured in Queen’s Birthday Honours list

Founder of Arts 2 Heal, Banu Adam, from Blackburn has been chosen to receive the prestigious British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Adam, who founded the charity in 2016, set it up to help black and ethnic minority communities to tackle mental health issues through a variety of activities and insightful discussions.

Located in James Street, Arts 2 Heal aims to provide support through one-to-one counselling, skills development and IT classes designed to assist day-to-day chores including online utility payments, job searches, applications and benefit claims.

Upon news of receiving the award, Adam said, “I am extremely honoured with the privilege of being awarded the British Empire Medal. The announcement was completely unexpected and the news hasn’t yet sunk in. I would like to thank the local community and especially my team at Arts 2 Heal for the overwhelming love and support over the years.”