Calderdale woman "truly humbled" after receiving MBE at Windsor Castle

Fahima Khanom is hub lead for the Check Challenge Appeal at the Valuation Office Agency in Halifax and greatly improved staff engagement at a site which has historically struggled to involve staff in continuous improvement.

Fahima implemented a new standard of management meeting, resulting in her team routinely making excellent suggestions for improvement, and this culture change was incredibly positive, making work much more interesting for staff, and greatly increased morale.

Since Covid, she’s trained over 100 staff from all areas of the business, some with very little prior knowledge of the subject. This has greatly assisted with recovering the CCA position following the temporary closure of sites.

Staff have not only performed well but exceeded their performance targets thanks to her training and dedication to supporting people. The impact of her training was pivotal in being able to recover the CCA customer services.

Fahima said: "As I approached the gates I felt excited and nervous at the same time, after all it's not everyday you get to go into a Royal residence to receive an award.

"We got out of the taxi and made our way to the lobby. I was taken into a beautiful room where other recipients were gathering.

"We were taken in small groups into the ballroom. We queued up and went out individually.

"I went in to receive mine, we briefly spoke about the work I did and do at the VOA and furthermore talked about my voluntary role in the community. I was congratulated on my work.

"I had a great experience walking through Windsor Castle and I feel truly humbled to be appointed as a member of the British Empire. It has been an amazing experience to be presented with this award. I feel proud as a British Bangladeshi Yorkshire woman making a difference within the civil service and the volunteer work which I carry out within the community.

"My message to everyone is - If you set your eyes on a goal don’t lose sight until you have achieved it!"