Ziana Butt BEM is one of three finalists up for Volunteer of the Year at the 2023 Community Sport and Recreation Awards.
The awards programme recognises and celebrates the outstanding work of organisations and individuals which is crucial to the delivery of grassroots sport and recreation with Volunteer of the Year showcasing the hours of commitment that volunteers give to improve the lives of people in their community.
Ziana not only supports England Netball as a formal Young Volunteer, but is committed to making the sport more inclusive. She is a Youth Sport Forum appointed member, giving presentations at Inclusive Employers in Sport events and is an Association of Colleges Sport Young Volunteer Awards panel member.
She has changed the landscape in making Asian youngsters more accepted, breaking stereotypes presented by the hijab. Ziana is a published author, co-authoring a book called Aisha’s Netball to encourage conversation about diversity and inclusion in sport from a young age.
As well as this, she has both supported and run training sessions in the community and schools, guiding young girls, and helped create a sense of belonging in her groups.
In recognition of her incredible contributions to netball, Ziana was named Young Netball Volunteer of the Year at the ONE Awards (for which nominations are now open for 2023) and also received a British Empire Medal in the Kings New Year’s Honours for services to netball and diversity.
This year’s winners will be revealed in a ceremony at the home of England Rugby, Twickenham Stadium, on Friday 17 March, with HRH The Duke of Edinburgh on hand to present the award winners with their trophies.
