A COMMUNITY group and a doctor feature in this year’s Fusion Awards finalists list.

The awards — now in their eighth year — recognise a range of people from across cultural and religious backgrounds who work tirelessly within their communities.

Urban Outreach, whose chief executive is Dave Bagley, has been short-listed in the Community Group of the Year category.

It works with disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals in Bolton and the surrounding area.

Urban Outreach has also looked to link up with a number of local organisations from different faiths to reach all sectors of the community Dr Mounir Hakimi, a doctor at the Royal Bolton Hospital, is named in the Man of the Year Category.

Dr Hakimi founded Syria Relief in September, 2011, as a non-political and non-religious charity to raise money to help those affected.

He has visited the war-torn country several times to help those affected by the ongoing conflict.

Ashif Ibrahim is named in the Community Cohesion Award category. He began volunteering at a number of clubs and schools in order to encourage children to become more active.

Joani McBride of Bury is named as a Woman of the Year Finalist.

She works for Making Space a charity which provides care and support to people with a wide variety of needs including those with physical and/or mental health conditions, learning disabilities and dementia.

The 2014 awards will be held at King George’s Hall, Blackburn, on Saturday, May 24, in front of 450 guests.