Midland International Aid Trust ( MIAT} , Oak Tree Trust ( OTT), ( both international aid charities based in Walsall) and St Paul’s Church at the Crossing have successfully run a free curry meal for 100 homeless and disadvantaged Walsall individuals on Friday the 12th August outside St Paul’s, Darwall Street, Walsall from 8.30-10.00 p.m. attended and assisted by the Mayor of Walsall Cllr Garry Perry and the Mayoress Mrs Perry.
MIAT is a mainly Muslim based charity which often comes together on projects with OTT , a mainly Christian based charity . This particular event has been promoted by members of different faiths who wish to give benefit to the wider Walsall community with particular significance during the Islamic Month of Ramadan.
MIAT Trust’s chairman, Mr Aslam MBE, said
“The Month of Ramadan is a month of spiritual reflection and is also a time when the Muslim community undertakes considerable charitable works and donations. The nature of fasting means that Muslims are duty bound to consider the welfare of the disadvantaged, the homeless and those in need in society. As part of this spiritual reflection, the Trust’s Muslim donors with this free evening meal for the Walsall homeless and disadvantaged want to reach out to the wider community and to provide both a glimpse of the true peaceful, benevolent and spiritual nature of Islam but to also show the inherent inclusive sentiment of the Muslim community.”
The Rev Mark Kinder, vicar of St Paul’s at the Crossing, said
‘Every week members of the churches of Walsall stand outside the church and offer free soft drinks and a listening ear to the citizens and homeless of Walsall.
We are thrilled to be working together with the Muslim and Christian donors of the Trusts to demonstrate our common commitment to help the disadvantaged in our society. We hope that our working together will provide an example of good community relations and possibly make people think again about the common humanity we share.’
Oak Tree Trust’s chair Councillor Ian Robertson said
‘ there is a special significance of different faiths coming together to publicly, for the 4th year running, to offer support to those who are disadvantaged, especially in view of all that has been done by greedy selfish thugs in other town centres in recent days .
The event was attended by the Mayor of Walsall Cllr Garry Perry , lady Mayoress Mrs Perry immediate past Mayor Cllr Gary Clarke and his wife .
For further information and further high quality photos, please contact
Reverend Mark Kinder/ Reverend Samuel Leach on 01922 620669
Cllr Ian Robertson 01922 634642 07956 829549
Mohammed Aslam 07501101342
Footnote Mohammed Aslam will be travelling to the refugee camps in Knya on Tuesday 15th August with £14K donated locally to help the victims of the drought in the Horn of Africa and to report back on how further funds promised and to be raised via such initiatives as a Walsall flag day on 17th September can be spent directly and effectively .
