Zesh Rehman holds a unique place in football in England, as the first British South Asian to play in the Premier League (or indeed the top-flight of the game at any period in history) when he appeared for Fulham against Liverpool in 2004. Throughout his career, Birmingham born Zesh has always had a commitment to give back to his community, recognising both his own journey from the backstreets of Aston to play in the world’s biggest professional league, the sacrifices made by his parents and family to help him achieve his dream and the support and opportunities afforded to him through sport at every level. Zesh’s work with the community has led to him being presented with Queens Park Rangers Commitment to the Community Award in 2008, and the PFA Player in the Community Award in 2010. He has also acted as ambassador for the Princes Trust and the anti-racism charities Kick it Out and Show Racism the Read Card. In 2010 Zesh formally launched the Zesh Rehman Foundation built on principles of community engagement and support for young people, mentoring and role modelling, and using his networks within football to open opportunities across all elements of the industry.