Wednesday 11th March, Bolton Wanderers Football Club (BWFC) and Bolton Wanderers in the Community (BWitC) welcomed over 250 people into the Lion of Vienna Suite at the Toughsheet Community Stadium for their fourth annual Community Iftar.
Attended by local residents as well as Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley, Cllr. Yasine Qureshi, Cllr. Kirith Entwistle, Cllr. Rabiya Jiva, Reverand Hannah Lane and BWFC CEO David Ray and BWFC Chairman Sharon Brittan, the event brought our community together to celebrate the spirit of Ramadan and the positive impact we can have when we come together as a community.
During the event, guests were treated to a speech from Imam Imran Muhammad as well as a performance from pupils from St. Michael’s Church of England Primary School in Bolton. Attendees were then invited onto the terraces to break the fast.
Imam Imran Muhammad studied at the prestigious Al-Azhar university in Cairo. And in more recent years has also worked as Youth Worker and Mentor for the Bolton Lads and Girls Club. He has experience of working in some of the most diverse and challenging circumstances, working as a Muslim Chaplain for HM Prison and Probation Service. He also trained as a theological and ideological intervention provider. He is a Master practitioner in Neuro Linguistic programming. As well as all the above, and in his own words l, his biggest achievements is being a proud father to his young daughter.
After breaking the fast, guests were invited to observe the Maghrib Prayer, before enjoying a delicious buffet provided by Mylahore. Attendees were treat to a feast of vegetable samosas, chicken seekh kebabs, meat karahi, chicken karahi, daal tarhka, pilau rice, naan, pasta salad, green salad, raita, mint, chilli, jam coconut cake and chocolate cake with custard.
Hayley Wilson, Health and Communities Manager at BWitC, reflected on the event “Here at BWFC and BWitC we believe in the ethos of One Club. One Community. One Town. and our annual Community Iftar shows the positive impact we can have when we lean into this. We would like to thank everyone who attended on the evening as well as our partners Shabnum, BSCA and Mylahore for helping us bring people together, break down barriers and help people across Bolton live more connected lives.”
Alongside all those who attended and contributed to the event, Bolton Wanderers in the Community would like to thank Shabnum Bashir for all her hard work planning and delivering the event, as well as Bolton Solidarity Community Association. Without your support we would be unable to make our Iftar the best it can be.