Age proved no barrier last weekend when elders of a religious community stretched their legs to raise a quarter of a million pounds for charity.
Thousands of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community members converged on Britain’s biggest mosque, in London Road, Morden, for the Ansar Charity Walk 2011 on Sunday, June 19.
The Ansar, who hope to raise £240,000 for British Heart Foundation and Great Ormond Street Hospital, are the religious community’s older members with their ages ranging from 40 to 70.
Nearly 3,000 walkers who took on the seven mile trek were joined by the leader of Merton Council, Stephen Alambritis, the mayor of Merton, Councillor Gilli Lewis-Lavender, and MPs Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton) and Jane Ellison (Battersea).
The president of Ahmadiyya Muslim Ansar UK, Waseem Ahmad, said: “Charity is an act of faith and an integral part of Islam. We believe that, as Muslim living in the UK, we have a duty to support our country and contribute to it well-being.
“Ahmadi Muslims never accept any public funding – instead we believe virtue springs from giving.
“Islam is often in the news when extremists hit the headline. Well, here is an opportunity for us to show that Islam is a religion of peace.
“Charity is a fundamental pillar of Islam and a core teaching to promote peace.”
Are you doing something special for charity? Leave a comment below, call 020 8722 6335 or email: ooakes@london.newsquest.co.uk.
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