A HEALTH worker renowned for his work with ‘real people’ has been selected to meet The Queen.

Jal Iqbal, a Blackburn with Darwen-based community development officer, will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace later this year.

He has been a prime mover in the ‘Real People, Honest Talk’ project for Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust for the past year.

Mr Iqbal said: “I am delighted and honoured to have been invited to attend the celebration.

“The project is really all about facilitating open and honest conversation about issues of concern to everyday people in local communities that could otherwise be difficult to talk about.

“We create safe spaces in which difficult issues associated with living together well amid differences in outlook, culture, attitudes and beliefs can be discussed openly and constructively, at a city-wide level and in local communities.”

Mr Iqbal added that the was “proud and privileged” to be representing the trust’s community restart team in London.