The founder of an Islamic centre in Cricklewood has been championed by the Prime Minister for his interfaith initiatives.

Mohammad Sadeeq, founder of the Islamic Centre of Brent in Howard Road, has been given a Point of Light award, which recognises outstanding volunteers, by Teresa May.

Mr Sadeeq converted a disused church to create the centre in 1976 and has worked tirelessly to ensure the centre is a home for a diverse and vibrant community of worshippers, a centre for social action and a hub for interfaith work.

He has championed Rumi’s Kitchen, an interfaith soup kitchen which serves local people in need and has been rolled out across other faith institutions and a weekly social gathering which brings together around 200 people of all faiths and none.

Mr Sadeeq is 613th winner of the Points of Light award which has been developed in partnership with the hugely successful Points of Light programme in the USA and was first established by President George Bush.

He said: “During my entire life, I have been blessed to be able to serve, help and support the community. I have established surgeries within the mosque providing medical, legal , career advice to everyone in need. I also organise Rumi’s Kitchen in the mosque, where it provides cooked and hot food, clothes for homeless people, people in need and for the multi-faith community. Also within the centre, I provide and serve food and tea for the multi-faith senior community. I am delighted to be offered this award.”

In a personal letter to Mr Sadeeq, Ms May wrote: “Your tremendous interfaith initiatives are bringing communities together, improving religious tolerance and helping London proudly remain one of the world’s most inclusive and diverse cities.”

Tulip Siddiq, MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, said: “Mohammad is an inspiration to so many in our area and fully merits the Points of Light award from the Prime Minister. His interfaith work has opened the lives and minds of hundreds of constituents, and the positive thinking behind his soup kitchen has been replicated across multiple boroughs. Rumi’s kitchen is an institution which I’m hugely proud to say belongs in Brent, and I want to wish Mr Sadeeq my sincerest congratulations for this deserved accolade.”