Story by Rob Smith
Longstanding community figure and activist Mr Muhammad Iqbal has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours.
He was totally surprised and shocked on the morning the letter arrived. “I had to read it over and over, then over again to be sure it was real, Rob, and not a joke someone was playing on me!”
“I’d like to give credit to the people of Burngreave – this means the community’s name is being recognised in some of the highest enclaves in the country.”
Teaching English and making contacts
I asked Mr Iqbal what made him get involved in regeneration to begin with and what has been his role?
“After moving to Burngreave from Darnall in 1979 I took up further education at Stannington College – motor mechanics. Months later, after the London riots, Section 11 government funding aimed at black and ethnic communities was introduced. I became employed under Section 11 to teach English as a Second Language to my fellow countrymen.”
In 1986 he was promoted to a scale 2 lecturer while commuting daily to attend Huddersfield University where he obtained teaching qualifications. In 1988 he became employed as the Head of Ellesmere Education Centre. “This meant meeting, and getting to know, a lot of local people.”
Action for Burngreave
In 1996 the widely-reported remarks “Don’t touch Burngreave with a barge pole” alerted a lot of local people including Mr Iqbal to the spiralling reputation of Burngreave.
“In early 1997, local professionals and community bodies got together to place a bid for employment regeneration funding from central government.This bid failed due to a lack of community involvement.”
Unperturbed by this, Mr Iqbal and others began working voluntarily to involve more community members, “We needed to do this to make more successful funding bids. We held meetings around Burngreave and in 1997, set up Burngreave Community Action Forum (BCAF).”
Mr Iqbal was elected chair of BCAF which secured £7.3 million of SRB funding towards community capacity building.
“In order to deal with this large windfall we had to create a secretarial and legal arm of the forum that became the Trust (BCAT) giving us credibility and legitimacy to employ members of staff.”
In order to concentrate on community activity in 1998 Mr Iqbal, took early retirement from the teaching profession.
Governor and Chair
“When Earl Marshal School became a problem I was seconded onto the interim school governors and we officially closed the school, before commissioning a newlyrefurbished building and head teacher. I believe our children deserve the best education this system can provide.”
Mr Iqbal, who worked tirelessly to initiate our first community forum is proud of being the first and longestserving chair.
“On my return from Pakistan in ’99, news of our New Deal bid had been announced and I got involved in the consultation package. This meant developing the delivery plan based on the visions of local people.”
Mr Iqbal became the first chair of the New Deal Partnership Board and held that position for two years. Enquiring whether he felt there’d been any change in the area, he said he believes that in terms of law and order, employment and household income, things have improved dramatically in Burngreave.
Pride and roots
Mr Iqbal was born in a village called Dhu-Dial in the district of Chakwal in Pakistan. He is also secretary of the Chakwal Welfare society. Prior to coming to England Mr Iqbal studied for a matriculation certificate, equivalent to GCSE. “Before that, like every other fit young man, I joined the Pakistani Army Rob,” added the proud Muhammad Iqbal MBE.