east london mosque
East London Mosque helps deliver 500 food packs
2 Feb 2021 – The East London Mosque partnered with Islamic Relief UK to organise, pack and distribute up to 500 winter food packs to vulnerable people in London, including the homeless, low-income families, those suffering from domestic abuse, asylum seekers and refugees.
This is part of a countrywide campaign, which will see up to 2,000 food packs distributed by Islamic Relief UK and partners in London, Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham.
The East London Mosque has been distributing food in the local community since the first lockdown. This latest initiative aims to reach vulnerable people across London.
The food packs not only contain non-perishable food items, they also include essential items such as masks, hand sanitisers, gloves, hats, scarves and socks.
With the help Give a Gift in Leeds, the East London Mosque has also partnered with Aldi to provide food vouchers, so families can buy general goods from Aldi stores to supplement their food packs.
Sufia Alam, Maryam Centre Manager at the East London Mosque & London Muslim Centre, said:
“The lockdown and loss of income have meant more families than ever are struggling to make ends meet. These winter packs help people who are desperate for basic essentials whilst they are in lockdown with their families, and for some of the residents in shelters it means there is an additional boost to keep them safe with protective masks and hygiene products. We work with vulnerable women in domestic abuse situations, and these packs are essential support for them.”
Tufail Hussain, Director of Islamic Relief UK, said:
“Having supported the East London Mosque with the distribution of 200 bags of Qurbani meat in 2019, we are humbled to have the opportunity to work with them once more to aid the local communities of East London. The East London Mosque team works tirelessly to provide for people of all faiths, and we are delighted to offer support where we can.With the number of coronavirus cases at an all-time, daily high in the UK, it is important – now more than ever – to stand together as a community and provide for those in need.”
Update & Links
‘An imaginative planner, in fact anyone with any imagination seeing the possibilities here, could not possibly turn this down’ says Rory Stewart
Rory Stewart Declares His Support To Save The Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Independent Mayorial Candidate for London, Rory Stewart, came to the East End on a damp wintry day this week to offer his support for our campaign to Save The Whitechapel Bell Foundry as a proper working foundry.
Last week Secretary of State, Robert Jenrick, issued a Holding Order preventing Tower Hamlets Council proceeding with granting permission for change of use to the developers who want to turn the Whitechapel Bell Foundry into a boutique hotel, while he decided what to do.
Now the election is over and Robert Jenrick is back as Secretary of State, we are waiting to hear if he is going to call in the planning application and hold a Public Inquiry. So Rory Stewart’s declaration of support for the campaign this week is opportune timing and we hope this will encourage the Secretary of State to call in the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
At East London Mosque, Rory Stewart met Steven Musgrave of UK Historic Building Preservation Trust who outlined their plans to reopen the foundry as a proper working foundry and make it viable again, just as they did at Middleport Pottery in Stoke. Then Sufia Alam of the London Muslim Centre spoke on behalf of the mosque and the local community in support of the campaign, explaining Whitechapel Bell Foundry’s immense cultural significance in terms of local pride of place and the opportunity that a renewed foundry offered for apprenticeships, training and education.
Then it was time to head out from the Mosque into the rain where local campaigners had gathered outside the front door of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry to greet Rory Stewart.
Speaking of his enthusiasm for the potential for a renewed bell foundry marrying old and new technology, and with a strong relationship to the local community, he declared, “All of this in one of the most interesting parts of our city – so an imaginative planner, in fact anyone with any imagination seeing the possibilities here, could not possibly turn this down. This is a challenge of courage, it’s a challenge of joyful imagination and of adventure, and we need to let the bells ring forth!”
Rory Stewart in conversation at East London Mosque with Sufia Alam of East London Mosque and Stephen Musgrave of UK Historic Building Preservation Trust
Charles Saumarez Smith welcomes Rory Stewart to the Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Rory Stewart declares his support for our campaign outside the foundry
“This is a challenge of courage, it’s a challenge of joyful imagination and of adventure, and we need to let the bells ring forth!” – Rory Stewart
Rory Stewart at Whitechapel Bell Foundry
