Muslim groups donate thousands and volunteer in communities across Yorkshire

Muslim charitable organisations and mosques are helping ensure people in their towns and cities get food and vital supplies, no matter what their race, religion or background.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA), which works across West and South Yorkshire, has at least 50 volunteers currently deployed and working to help vulnerable people in the region.

The volunteers provide a range of services in the local community like helping in food banks

They are also involved in more ad-hoc tasks where needed, like shopping for the elderly, walking the dog of someone who is self-isolating or tidying someone’s garden.

Across the UK, AMYA has supported 2,698 British families, 43 charities and councils and 600 NHS staff.

Nadeem Ahmed, regional youth leader for Yorkshire at the charity, said: “The whole purpose is to practice our faith. Our religion says to do good in society and to help people, no matter what colour or religion.

“These times have brought us together. We want to get away from this and move forward.

“This is what faith is and what brings the community together at a time when it’s important that we all come together.”

This comes after a mosque in Huddersfield, the Masjid Ghausia, delivered a massive order of food to staff at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary this week.

The order included chicken biryani, samosas, rice pudding and pizza for more than 100 hospital staff.

Similarly, Salahadin Mosque in Bradford donated £3,000 of food and essential items, including more than 2,000 face masks, to Bradford Royal Infirmary.

After the mosque emailed to ask what could be done, the hospital sent over a list which included coffee, cleaning products, masks and shampoo.

The Kurdish community in and around Bradford came together to donate the money and a local businessman donated the face masks.

Preparations for Ramadan, which starts next weekend, have already begun.

For many Muslims, this will be the first Ramadan not spent at the mosque and across Yorkshire, imams are leading prayer through video.

Qari Asim, imam at Leeds Makkah Mosque, has been holding a live sermon every Friday.

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