Three prominent members of the Leicester business scene have been included in the 2020 Queen's News Years Honours list
Family lawyer Glynis Wright becomes an MBE as does University of Leicester business engagement head Anjuu Trevedi.
While Yasin El Ashrafi, the founder of HQ Recording Studio, in Leicester city centre, becomes a BEM for his work with young people, and for services to music.
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Yasin, who was the 2018 LeicestershireLive business executive of the year, runs a recording studio and music education business in Charles Street, which has built a reputation for its work with up-and-coming urban, R&B and hip hop acts.
In 2019 he won almost £185,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund to transform the lives of more young people through music.
A year earlier he had been named Prince’s Trust Mentor of the Year.
Hearing the news of the BEM, he said: “I am honoured to be included on such a prestigious list.
“I would like to thank the team at HQ, and the National Lottery Community Fund for making these projects possible and allow is us to impact so many young people.
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“I would like to dedicate this award to my mum.
“She would be so proud to see me gain recognition from the queen for my work which was inspired by her giving nature, desire to help people and love for music.”
Yasin turned to drugs after he was expelled from school but a turning point came when his girlfriend became pregnant.
When his son was born with severe cerebral palsy, he decided to become his own boss to have the flexibility to care for him.
He started his first community interest company and piloted his first music project, which led on to a teaching qualification, more projects teaching music and enterprise skills, and taking on a professional recording studio.
His community interest company HQ Creative Arts Network supports vulnerable and unemployed adults, using music and spoken word, music studio recording, events, and performances to combat mental health issues, addiction and low confidence.
The social enterprise generates its own income through commercial studio hire, mastering and artist development services, and helps young people gain an income and a sense of purpose, with their activities often leading to more paid work.
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Anjuu Trevedi, who has been given an MBE for services to business innovation and to the economy in Leicestershire, has been head of regional business engagement at the University of Leicester since 2008.
She is passionate about working with business and industry to ensure innovation and technologies developed within universities can bring benefits to the broader economy.
As such she spearheaded the work of the Leicester Innovation Hub, the university’s “front door” to the innovation support, expertise and facilities.
Anjuu said it was fantastic to be recognised and to have joined the "MBE club”.
She said: “I am absolutely delighted to have received this award for work that I love to do, and heartily believe in. I am especially pleased that the award is for services to business innovation and the economy, which I am so passionate about.
“This year has been testing for us all but it has also provided a great opportunity to work together with greater number of stakeholders and amazing businesses to strengthen University-business relationships and provide exceptional support to businesses on our door step.”
Ms Trevedi represents the university on the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership Economic Recovery Cell and Innovation Board, as well as the board of Leicestershire Business Voice and on the Chamber of Commerce Coronavirus Advisory Group.
Professor Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester, said: “Anjuu has been an "unsung hero" until now, consistently providing exceptional support to our academics, enterprise teams and the wider industry in Leicester, Leicestershire and the region.
“She has done a phenomenal job of connecting our University expertise with businesses within the region.
“She thoroughly deserves this recognition, and should feel very proud of her great accomplishments.”
Glynis Wright is the founder of Glynis Wright Solicitors, in Leicester, which was recently acquired by Nelsons Law, where she is now a partner, heading up the family law team in the city.
Glynis, who collects her MBE for services to female entrepreneurship, retrained as a lawyer when she was 40, graduating with multiple distinctions and winning a student of the year award for the highest marks in her year.
In 2011 she set up her own law firm recognising the need for a more practical approach to helping families going through divorce.
She grew the firm to an annual turnover of more than £1.3 million, and 19 members of staff.
Her all-female team won the small law firm of the year award in the 2018 National Law Society Awards and the 2019 East Midlands Business Masters Awards for its contribution to the community, while Glynis herself recently picked up a Leicester Community Champions Award for her fundraising work.
She is one of the driving forces behind the Pulled Both Ways campaign that encourages parents to think hard about the impact of divorce and separation on their children, and has run Inspirational Women in Business seminars for the last three years.
She was appointed president of the Leicestershire Law Society in May 2019 with her year of office extended to September 2020 to assist the society through the first months of the pandemic.
She was also recently appointed chair of the advisory board to the Faculty of Law and Business at De Montfort University for a three year term.
In a message to friends Glynis said: “I am so proud to have been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list for services to female entrepreneurship!
“This means more than I can say.”