A Blue Plaque dedicated to community champion Shuley Alam unveiled in South Shields

Shuley Alam, founder and CEO of CREST (Compact for Race Equality in South Tyneside), has been commemorated with a Blue Plaque on Saturday, July 15.

A ceremony took place outside of the CREST building, on Fowler Street, with Shuley’s family members, John McCabe, the Mayor of South Tyneside, and South Shields MP, Emma Lewell-Buck all speaking.

The unveiling of the plaque comes three years to the day since Shuley sadly lost her battle with cancer, aged 46.

Iqbal Chowdhury, Shuley’s son, told the Shields Gazette how much it means to his family to have a Blue Plaque dedicated to his mum.

He said: “I’m used to mum just coming home and not talking about work, she never painted herself in the light that she should have been painted in.

“It wasn’t until she passed that I realised how much she had impacted the community so being able to see this plaque here and her being commemoratived in this way means so much to us.

“This plaque will always be there, I’m so proud of her, I’m just lost of words.”

Iqbal also touched on what his mum would have thought about having a Blue Plaque dedicated in her honour on display in South Shields.

He added: “She was the life of the party, she would have been bouncing up and down and lapping it all up.

“She loved life and it would have meant everything to her.

“CREST was her baby and I know how much passion she had towards it and to see it grow.

“I know she’d love to be here to see what she has achieved and what she has left behind.”

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Shuley came to England with her family aged only four and was educated in South Tyneside, where she dedicated her life to promoting race equality within the borough.

South Tyneside’s Blue Plaque scheme recognises people and places that have made a significant contribution to the Borough’s rich history, heritage and culture.

Members of the public are invited to nominate individuals, buildings or locations to be recognised for their importance.

The Blue Plaque for Shuley was nominated by Habib Rahman, a Newcastle councillor and the region’s first Muslim Bangladeshi Lord Mayor.

Cllr Rahman commented: “From an early age Shuley demonstrated her abilities and willingness to bring about changes, tackling barriers, inequalities, and injustice.

“Difficulties that were all too common and familiar to people of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, especially women.

“Shuley joined Apna Ghar, a specialist centre that supports BAME women, as a volunteer, eventually joining the Management Committee, perhaps here realising the real challenge ahead.

“Shuley has left a huge legacy in South Shields in the shape of CREST, she has touched on many lives, inspired, and motivated many people.”

Three Blue Plaques are unveiled across the borough each year, with South Tyneside Council funding only one of them and Shuley’s selected for 2023.