Oxford's Lord Mayor has received recognition for her community work at an awards event.

The SHE (saluting, honouring, excellence) Awards, held on March 8 annually to coincide with International Women’s Day, celebrate the contributions of women from all societal sectors.

The award recognises Councillor Lubna Arshad's work to tackle the gender pay gap, protect religious freedom, and to tackle poverty.

She said: "I would like to express my deepest gratitude to God the Almighty and SHE Awards for this incredible honour, to my family and friends for their unwavering support, and to the people of Oxford for entrusting me with the responsibility of serving as your Lord Mayor and this nation for recognising my gifts and talents.

"As a local leader, councillor and Lord Mayor of Oxford, I am absolutely committed to making the community better for everyone and spreading love for all, hatred for none wherever I am.

“The recognition from this award is not just for me, but for every individual who has supported and believed in the power of diversity, inclusivity, and representation for all women.”

She is the first woman of colour, first Muslim woman of intersectional background, and the youngest ever Lord Mayor.

Boasting a degree in computer network technologies from Manchester and with more two decades of experience in IT, Ms Arshad was elected as a city councillor in 2018.