The Muslimah Sports Association (MSA) has been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2024.

The prestigious award is presented by His Majesty King Charles to local voluntary groups across the UK and recognises outstanding work completed by volunteers across all walks of life, but specifically recognises services which provide for their community.

For 10 years, MSA has placed Muslim women at the heart of its activities, providing sporting opportunities in female-only environments. It has worked continuously to remove barriers faced by women from different religious and cultural backgrounds and foster inclusivity.

PIONEERING

Recent milestones include the Creating HERstory Heritage Project now housed at The London Archives and pioneering research into sports participation from British Muslim women.

Yashmin Harun MSc BEM, the Chair and founder of MSA, commented: “We are deeply honoured to receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

“This recognition celebrates the dedication of our volunteers and the impact we strive to make in empowering Muslim women through sports. We are committed to breaking down barriers, fostering inclusivity and creating opportunities for women of all backgrounds to thrive.

“This award fuels our passion to continue our work and inspire us to reach even greater heights together.”

POSITIVE

MSA will be presented with a King’s Award for Voluntary Service crystal and a signed certificate from His Majesty in a ceremony. Representatives of MSA will also attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.

MSA provides weekly sports activities and mental health groups in female-only spaces. At its core, the organisation believes that no woman should be excluded from sport due to religious or cultural beliefs and having positive representation of Muslim women in sport will lead to increased participation.

Visit muslimahsports.org.uk to find out more.