Oldham resident to be honoured with British Citizen Award

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, 26 extraordinary people from across the UK are being recognised with the coveted British Citizen Award.  One of them is Oyovwe Kigho from Oldham, Greater Manchester.  

Due to the current government restrictions banning large gatherings indoors, the usual grand medal presentation ceremony at The Palace of Westminster is unable to take place.

For the first time in its history, Oyovwe Kigho and the remaining 25 medalists will receive their BCA medals by courier, together with a video message from some of the Patrons and an invitation to the House of Lords at a date yet to be determined, when it is safe to do so.  

The British Citizen Award (BCA), in association with One-Stop, is now in its fifth year and recognises exceptional people who positively impact their communities. 

Oyovwe is honoured with a BCAh for Services to Healthcare.

Oyovwe is dedicated to the cause of bereaved widows and widowers Across Manchester.  

She created a scheme to end and combat their loneliness and founded The Widows Empowerment Trust in 2017.  

Since then the organisation has helped hundreds of beneficiaries across Greater Manchester area by including them in community social activities, providing 1 on 1 befrienders for them, peer to peer support and improving their quality of life, confidence, skills and employability.  

In addition to innovative idea to mitigate Loneliness facing widowed. she has created a platform to help thousands of students developed their communication skills, employability and work base learning placement skills.

She has recruited more than 3500 students from Manchester University, Manchester Metropolitan University & Salford University getting involve in volunteering work especially fundraising skills to help provide them with sense of belonging.

She has also mentor Hundreds of young people from National Citizen Service (NCS) during the summer, building their aspiration coordinating events including Intergenerational activities.

The Widows Empowerment Trust now runs three weekly wellbeing sessions, a befriending scheme, runs pampering sessions and organises special gift presentations on Valentines Day, Mothers Day and Christmas.  

Also, provide weekly session for people with dementia using creativity and Karaoke to help build their self- esteem.

Oyovwe has a very good understanding of the social and negative implications of isolation and loneliness to health and wellbeing.  

She is willing to go to any height to pursue her goals, such as completing a skydiver from 15,000ft to raise £4,000 for The Widows Empowerment Trust.  

She volunteers in excess of 70hours a week to the Trust with the support of her family, extending the breadth of her initiatives & passion to help the lower food bank and The Trust delivering food parcels to homeless people in Manchester City Centre.

Each Medal of Honour bears the words ‘For the Good of the Country’ and are presented to only a small number of exceptional individuals twice yearly.

The British Citizen Award is widely viewed as the nation’s way of recognising extraordinary, everyday people for exceptional endeavor and are truly representative of today’s multicultural Britain.

---

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.