Yorkshire Asian Young Achiever Awards 2023: Nominations open to celebrate young South Asians breaking down barriers

The award show is currently in its fourth year and organisers are scouring Calderdale, Kirklees, Wakefield and other parts of Yorkshire to find and celebrate the achievements of young Asian people who have broken down traditional barriers to progress.

There are many categories to consider, including exceptional achievements in sport, health, the arts and creative industries, media, education, the private sector, public sector, not-for-profit sector, young entrepreneur and achievement in school or college.

Since its inception, the YAYAs has attracted high-profile supporters, including Hollywood actor Riz Ahmed, BBC newsreader Reeta Chakrabarti, and Bradford-born English cricketer Adil Rashid.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a gala dinner in November at Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford alongside business leaders, celebrities and influencers.

The award ceremony will be presented by TV presenter and stand-up comedian Noreen Khan.

The YAYAs are hosted by the QED Foundation, a charity founded in Bradford in 1990. Today, QED is a key player in ethnic minority issues at both national and international level. The award show is sponsored by Morrisons, the Home Office, LanguageCert, University of York, Barnardo’s, alongside headline sponsor, York St John University.

The deadline for nominating a young person, which can be done using YAYAs website, aged 16 to 30 of South Asian heritage, born or living in Yorkshire for this year’s YAYAs is June 19.

The winners will be announced at a special ceremony on November 17 at Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford.