From Community Classrooms to the King’s Honours List:
Smartlyte’s Hafsha Awarded MBE

Official Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Birmingham, UK – June 2025

Smartlyte is proud to announce that our Founder and Director, Hafsha Dadabhai-Shaikh, has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 for her outstanding contributions to digital inclusion nationally.
Hafsha is a nationally recognised leader in the digital inclusion space, representing unheard voices at major policy and sector events. She has played a pivotal role in contributing to national campaigns including Good Things Foundation’s digital  programmes and House of Lords launches, the National Databank with Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone, the Nobody in the Dark campaign with Mastercard, and the Minimum Digital Living Standards framework She is also an active contributor to the Labour Party Conference Fringe Panels, working alongside other industry leaders on digital policy. Hafsha works strategically
to shape and deliver digital inclusion programmes across the country, including Smartlyte’s contributions to the Health and Wellbeing Alliance with NHS England, WMCA’s Digital Road Map, and the Digital Inclusion Strategy for Birmingham City
Council. Smartlyte is also a key strategic partner of Lloyds Bank Academy.
In addition to her leadership role, Hafsha is a frequent national and regional media spokesperson, with appearances on national and regional television including ITV Central, BBC WM, and as a regular community radio presenter for Unity FM.
“Digital inclusion is not just about skills — it is about dignity, access, and belonging. I am deeply honoured by this recognition and share it with every person who has walked through our doors seeking support.” – Hafsha Dadabhai-Shaikh, MBE
Her work has been featured in regional and national media, and she continues to champion unheard voices across digital policy and practice.

About Hafsha Dadabhai Shaikh, MBE

Hafsha Dadabhai Shaikh, MBE, is a community leader, speaker, strategist and advocate for digital inclusion. She founded Smartlyte to empower underserved communities with access to essential digital tools and services.
Her work includes collaborations with the Good Things Foundation, Virgin Media O2, Vodafone, NHS England, WMCA, Birmingham City Council, Mastercard, and Lloyds Bank Academy. Hafsha is an accomplished public speaker, a regular guest on radio and television, and a presenter for Unity FM.
Her leadership continues to influence strategic digital inclusion frameworks, and her voice represents marginalised and underserved communities at national level.
In 2025, she was awarded an MBE for services to digital inclusion in the King’s  Birthday Honours.

Media Contact
Salim Shaikh
Director, Smartlyte
hello@smartlyte.co.uk
www.smartlyte.co.uk
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