Bambo Diaby, recipient of the PFA Community Champion award, said he has wanted to do everything he can to help those in and around the local community during the past five months.
The Senegalese defender, who signed for the club at the end of January, has been heavily involved in the Ramadan initiatives of the Preston North End Community and Education Trust.
Bambo spent time in April handing out food and water to members of the local Muslim community, while also opening a multi-faith prayer room and attending the Break Your Fast event at Deepdale.
Speaking after receiving the club's PFA Community Champion award, he said: “For me the trophy is important, but I didn’t expect it honestly.
“I just do it because I have it within my heart. This is Bambo, I do these things because I want to do it.
“I want to help, I want to do everything for my club, and if I can help I’m the first one to be there so it’s a real pleasure to receive this trophy.”
As a practicing Muslim, Bambo himself fasted during Ramadan, and was keen to get out into the community and meet those in the local area – not because he feels it’s his duty, but because he wants to make a difference.
He said: “I enjoyed it a lot because I do it with my heart. I enjoy it when I do it.
“It’s not with compromise, it’s just because I want to do it. I want to help, and if it’s people out of football, I don’t care about that, I just want to be there and more if it’s for my religion.
“I want the people to know more about that.”
On the pitch, 24-year-old Bambo made his competitive return to football at the end of February after over two years without an appearance.
His home debut followed in the home victory over AFC Bournemouth at the beginning of March, and his most recent feature came in the final game of the campaign against Middlesbrough.
The defender added: “My first game here everyone says ‘wow I’m surprised after two years’, but I don’t surprise myself, because I know what I do.
“I work so hard; I believe in myself. I do everything to come back stronger and I always wanted to be a better player than before in those two years and I think I’ve made it.”
Having only signed a deal until the end of the season back in January, the club and Bambo are now in discussions over a new contract, but no matter what happens he has a summer of hard work planned.
“Now in summer I need to keep working and we will see what happens,” he said.
“It’s not only on me. I enjoy it here at Deepdale, I enjoy it with everyone, I enjoy it with the fans, I enjoy it with the players, so now it’s not only on me. I need to wait and we will see what happens in the next days.”
You can watch Bambo's full interview on iFollow PNE above.