Charan Sekhon, chairman of local charity SEVA Trust has been awarded the ‘Lockdown Hero’ award by the Environment Agency.
Charan, who also works as a Senior Environment Officer for the agency in the East Anglian region, help to run the SEVA Trust which, since March 2020, has helped provide food and other essential items to people during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Through the SEVA Trust UK, he and many other volunteers, work to make sure everyone has access to the best education, healthy life choices, welfare support and a sustainable environment regardless of their background.
Read: International students in Bedford “starving” in coronavirus lockdown
His work within the Environment Agency, supporting his work colleagues through UNISON and B.A.M.E networking, raising awareness about diversity, H&S and the impacts of Covid-19 on BAME communities, has also been commended.
Charan was awarded via a teleconference attended by 425 people.
“It has been a very tough year for everyone, the workplaces, families, local communities and the students have all been hugely impacted by the effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic,” he said.
“We set up a wide range of support projects through SEVA Trust and everyone worked very hard to support the local communities and international students during these very tough times for all.
“We worked closely with community groups, universities, UNISON, student unions and other stakeholders to reach out to those in real need and I would like to thank everyone who supported us in playing our part.
“Let’s hope we all can carry on supporting each other as the crisis is not yet over.”
Read: SEVA Trust UK works with Smart CJS to support Bedford’s homeless and rough sleepers
On the call, Environment Agency area director Simon Hawkins said Charan’s work is an example of how “people do things often in the background silently, but doing some wonderful work”.
He added, “The work Charan has been doing for local communities in addition to his day job and the support he has given to his fellow Environment Agency colleagues is truly commendable and on behalf of East Anglia Area, a big thanks to him.”
The award was jointly won by Huw Richards, a Team Leader of the Integrated Environment Planning Team based in Ipswich.
