Renfrewshire local hero Mariya Javed attended Holyrood in recognition of her outstanding efforts raising thousands of pounds for charity after the tragic death of her brother.
The Young Scotswoman of the Year in 2021, as well as Kiltwalk Hero 2021 and Renfrewshire Inspirational Young Citizen 2021, was invited to a special commemorative anniversary event of the Scottish Parliament.
The 25th anniversary celebrations were honoured by the presence of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen.
Local MSP Paul O’Kane was the person who extended an invite to schoolgirl Mariya and her family, from Elderslie, to join him at the event.
MSPs were asked to nominate one of their constituents who have made an extraordinary contribution to their communities and who they considered to be their ‘local hero’.
Mr O’Kane previously highlighted Mariya Javed’s fundraising efforts in a Holyrood motion and joined her earlier in the year in the latest Kiltwalk.
Since the sudden loss of her brother, Ahmar, Mariya has raised thousands of pounds for AVM (Arteriovenous Malformation) research and child bereavement services. She has also campaigned for better bereavement education and loss support in schools.
Mr O’Kane welcomed Mariya alongside her mother Sameena, father Mohammad and brother Ayaan to the Scottish Parliament on Saturday, September 28 to attend the celebrations.
West Scotland MSP O’Kane said: “The 25th anniversary event was fantastic to reflect on the past and very much celebrate the present and future of our Scottish Parliament.
“It is fantastic that my MSP colleagues and I got the chance to invite a special constituent to come along to join in the celebrations and get the recognition they deserve for their own contributions to their communities.
“I can’t praise Mariya enough for all her fantastic charitable efforts and selfless dedication to raising awareness of child bereavement and I am delighted that she had the chance to meet the King and share her work with him.”
Mariya’s mother, Sameena Javed, said: “We had a lovely time at the Scottish Parliament 25th anniversary event. It was so humbling to meet other local heroes and to hear their amazing stories.
“Obviously it was a great honour to meet His Majesty the King and to be able to share our story with him and to talk to him about the great work done by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity and Another Star in the Sky.
“Also, a big thank you to Paul O’Kane for considering Mariya to be worthy of nomination as a local hero, and for all the support he continues to give us in our campaign to raise awareness of AVM and to highlight the need for improved bereavement support and education.
“Finally, thanks to everyone who continues to support us. We couldn’t have come this far without you.”
Don’t miss the latest Renfrewshire headlines –sign up to our free daily newsletter here