One of Let’s Feed Brum’s founders is adding three letters to his name, following the release of the New Year’s Honours List. Ben Rafiqi has been awarded an MBE, a royal honour that recognises the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the UK. Ben was instrumental in Let’s Feed Brum’s origins and we are so pleased his years of work supporting Birmingham’s homeless community are being recognised.
Where did it all begin? Having previously run Inspiration Support, Ben Rafiqi had seen the positive impact of one-to-one engagement with Birmingham’s homeless community. By simply offering food, drink and kindness, Ben built genuine friendships that allowed him to better understand the challenges that people encountered when seeking and accepting the support available.
After connecting with a small group of people who shared his compassion and commitment to on-street engagement, Let’s Feed Brum was born in 2016. From that small, dedicated group grew the network of over 300 volunteers, giving up countless hours of their time to offer essential supplies and, more importantly, kindness to the homeless and vulnerable people of Birmingham.
Ben remains involved with Let’s Feed Brum and he’s also since helped found Tabor Living, an organisation that provides accommodation and support to some of Birmingham’s most marginalised people. If we could bottle his energy, we’d do so!
Commenting on the MBE, Ben has this to say: “I’d like to dedicate this award to the amazing people who stood next to me along the way in helping to build Let’s Feed Brum and Tabor Living into what they are today.”
Ben has played an essential role in Let’s Feed Brum’s existence. He has changed lives and made Birmingham a better city through his endless, infectious energy and kindness. Congratulations to Ben – thank you for everything you continue to do for our city’s most vulnerable people.