The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA), Britain’s largest and oldest Muslim youth group, arranged a 30-mile cycle and an 11-mile hike which brought 300 participants from across Britain to Keswick on Sunday 30 August.
The charity challenges were followed by a gathering with residents, where food was shared with members of the local community.
The event marks the latest chapter in a story of friendship and support between Cumbria and AMYA.
Since the floods caused by Storm Desmond AMYA helped Cumbria
Following Storm Desmond in 2015 and the subsequent floods that devastated the area, many young Muslims from the AMYA group travelled to Cumbria to offer practical help and support to flood victims. AMYA also returned to the area in 2016 hosting a fundraising cycle ride in aid of the Cumbria Community Foundation.
As a result of the close friendship built up between local residents and AMYA, the group returned again in 2017, choosing Fitz Park as the destination for their annual charitable fun run, which attracted over 700 people.
Nadeem Ahmad, one of the key organisers of AMYA latest fundraising event, said: “Serving our neighbours is part of our faith. Raising £12,000 for Fitz Park’s playground continues a friendship with Cumbria that began after Storm Desmond. At a time when society can feel divided, we want to bring people together through practical acts of kindness.”
The development of Fitz Park’s playground is a joint venture between Keswick Town Council and Fitz Park Trust, and aims to raise £400,000 through grants, local donations, crowdfunding and events to ‘replace the ageing play area with a modern, bespoke, and inclusive destination playground.’
AMYA works across Britain and its members have raised millions of pounds for local and national charities, in addition to regularly arranging tree plantings, blood donation drives, food bank collections and neighbourhood clean-ups.
This charitable work reflects the association’s commitments to reflecting Islamic teachings on serving humanity, caring for neighbours and contributing to the country, and is guided by the motto “Love for All, Hatred for None”.
If you would like to contribute the Fitz Park’s playground development, you can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/fitzparkplayarea and if you want to find out more about the work of AMYA visit https://ahmadiyya.uk/
After a press release by the AMYA, all pictures provided by AMYA.
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