2 June, 2025
Ubaid-ul Rehman is making a distinction to individuals’s lives it doesn’t matter what it takes.
The Goslings London Badminton Membership member was just lately honoured with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his providers to the LGBTQI+ neighborhood and badminton.
It marked recognition of over 25 years of voluntary service each inside his personal membership and that of the LGBTQI+ Muslim Group ‘Imaan’, which he helped co-found again in 1999.
Ubaid obtained his OBE from King Charles III himself at Windsor Citadel in early April, and was overwhelmed with the popularity for his many years of service.
“I used to be fully happy and honoured to obtain my OBE,” he stated.
“I’ve been volunteering for over 25 years at totally different organisations and in numerous roles, and so they’ve all been unimaginable.
“Each expertise has at all times been about what can I do to provide again to the neighborhood and make the world a greater place for individuals.
“So it’s good to be recognised for that.”
Ubaid has been a part of Goslings London Badminton Membership since 2005 and has gone from a social participant to one in all it’s most integral members.
From organising worldwide and home tournaments with different LGBT+ golf equipment as a part of the committee, to being elected as chair and driving accessibility and membership, each step has been about making Goslings really feel like greater than a badminton membership.
“It was in 2005 after I first was taken to Goslings,” he stated.
“I had by no means performed badminton earlier than however my first couple of video games, I truly fell in love with it.
“Not simply the bodily side to it however the social component, as a result of it opened up me as much as a neighborhood of LGBT individuals who I had by no means met.
“A few of these associates I met that first night I went are nonetheless my associates right now.
“It opened me as much as this complete new neighborhood and a model new household that I by no means knew I wished or wanted.”
Earlier than Ubaid had ever stepped foot on a badminton court docket, he was already creating secure areas for LGBT+ figuring out Muslims within the UK.
Ubaid is among the founding members of Imaan, the UK’s main LGBTQ Muslim charity, which was arrange within the late Nineteen Nineties.
The organisation has battled towards adversity on account of each race and sexuality over the many years however continues to face robust as a welcoming neighborhood that has now unfold all around the nation.
“I went alongside to a gathering in 1998 with a bunch of different LGBT+ Muslims and that was the start on Imaan,” he stated.
“Up till that time, I at all times assumed I used to be the one one, as a result of there was nobody that you can speak about your sexuality and emotions.
“We had been fairly anxious about it, but in addition actually excited that we’re truly beginning one thing that may have advantages to individuals at each that point and for future generations. We wished to essentially open up the house so individuals may have conversations, bringing faith, tradition and sexuality collectively.
“As time went on, then we then began doing extra advocacy work for asylum seekers and refugees within the UK, for releasing fleeing international locations the place being LGBTQ+ it’s punishable by dying.”
Ubaid is not an lively member of Imaan however continues to assist from the side-lines, together with attending a current convention at St Mary’s College in London the place he was overwhelmed to see so many younger members standing up for what they believed in.
“Final yr we had a convention and I went alongside for the primary time in a very long time,” he added.
“Again once we began Imaan, we had been younger, and we had been anxious, and full of hysteria and concern.
“These younger individuals had been actually empowered and able to battle the world.
“Listening to from these collaborating as they thanked myself and different co founders, it was actually coronary heart warming.”
With a wealth of ardour and expertise on his aspect, Ubaid has sat on Badminton England’s EDI committee for the previous three years, working to provide equal alternative to those that wish to play the game he loves.
Only one extra step on his journey to assist make the world a greater place.
“All these totally different roles that I’ve performed up to now have opened my eyes to all of the totally different sort of discrimination and harassment that individuals undergo,” he stated.
“I really feel that if there’s one thing that one particular person can do to simply make a distinction to at least one particular person’s life, it’s as much as you attempt to make the world a greater place.”
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