Sabrina Cohen-Hatton nominated for a National Diversity Award

Big Issue ambassador Sabrina Cohen-Hatton has been shortlisted for a National Diversity Award after the story of her remarkable rise captured the imagination of the nation.

The inspirational 36-year-old featured on the cover of The Big Issue magazine telling her story of how she went from selling the magazine as a teenager to becoming one of the country’s most senior female firefighters.

Cohen-Hatton was in charge of the fire service’s response to 2017 London terror attacks in Finsbury Park and Westminster and is also a prize-winning academic.

This is SO fantastic! Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to nominate and vote. I'm really humbled…very excited…and completely touched. Thank you so much 🔥❤🔥 https://t.co/VHKfXQxVXJ

— Dr Sab Cohen-Hatton (@Sab_CohenHatton) July 1, 2019

She chronicled her incredible life in the book The Heat of the Moment: Life and Death Decision-Making from a Firefighter and became an ambassador for The Big Issue earlier this year, greeting vendors at a House of Lords reception.

Now, her incredible work has been recognised with a National Diversity Awards nomination in the Positive Role Model Award for Gender category and she will find out if she is a winner at the ceremony in Liverpool Anglican Cathedral on September 20.

A delighted Cohen-Hatton said: “This is so fantastic! Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to nominate and vote.

“I’m really humbled, very excited and completely touched. Thank you so much.”

Cohen-Hatton will be among 124 nominees to reach the final stages, which will be presented by actor and comedian Sally Phillips, after more than 28,000 people were put forward for consideration.

Previous award winners include actor Warwick Davis, football’s equality and inclusion organisation Kick It Out and freedom fighter Abbey Kiwanuka.

Paul Sesay, founder and CEO of the National Diversity Awards, said: “A record amount of nominations and votes were received this year, the most we have ever received. I know our judging panel had an incredibly difficult task of whittling down the nominees to create an outstanding shortlist.

“Congratulations to all of our shortlisted nominees, it is a privilege to recognise your bravery, resilience and courage and I am honoured to share this with the nation. I look forward to congratulating you in person in September.”

Image: Louise Haywood-Schiefer