Redbridge Muslim Organisation Gears up for Winter Appeal

A campaign to collect clothes and food for rough sleepers has been launched to help anyone who finds themselves in need this winter.

The chairman of the Federation of Redbridge Muslim Organisations (FORMO) said that an increase in homelessness, and the success of the campaign last year, had inspired the committee to do it again.

Mohammed Asif said that the coalition had contacted all the mosques in Redbridge as well as the borough’s two Muslim schools to get involved.

He said: “The issue of homelessness continues to be a major problem in the borough of Redbridge as well as nationally.

“This has been made a further challenge in the current economic climate with austerity measures taking their toll on ordinary households.”

Salvation

The items will be collected over the coming weeks before being taken to the Salvation Army in Clements Road, Ilford.

Last year FORMO collected two truck-loads of goods as well as raising almost £2,000 for rough sleepers.

“We recognise and value the excellent work that the shelters have been doing and appreciate how busy they will be during the winter months,” Mr Asif said.

“It’s one of the five pillars of Islam to help the community and we always start off close to home giving to the areas we live in.”

Items that the Salvation Army would like include clothes, toiletries and tinned food and anyone can donate regardless of how much or how little.

Mr Asif said he hoped to move the campaign further next year and was holding talks with the federation about setting up somewhere rough sleepers can shower. “We are working towards setting up somewhere these people can get clean,” he said.

“This could be at one of the mosques or community centres.

“We would like to put some money aside for them.

“It’s something we are thinking about at this stage.”