Building Bridges in Burnley group looks back on a successful year

The director, former Burnley councillor Mozaquir Ali, welcomed everyone to the Usha restaurant, and with Coun. Bea Foster, presented summaries of the successful events held over the past year and thanked everyone who participated and made them successful.

They stressed that the activities undertaken last year had a significant impact and helped further their mission, engaged more people, and brought communities together for a more cohesive and integrated Burnley.

Past year's events highlighted were:

• Come date with me held during the month of Ramadan when the Muslim community invited people of other faiths and none to their mosques and community venues to break fasts with them by sharing food and friendship. Ibrahim Mosque, the Ghousia Mosque and the Muscle Factory were mentioned.

• Bridge Builder Event. Hosted by the Bishop of Burnley, the Rt Rev, Philip North, at his home in January when a number of people enlisted as volunteers for Building Bridges in Burnley.

• Community chats. Three Community Chats or dialogues were held in Daneshouse, Burnley Wood and Padiham where people from different backgrounds met together to share and discuss their concerns and challenges about and how they could improve their area.

• Prayer for world peace. Burnley's faith community with elected members, community leaders and other voluntary organisations came together to pray for world peace at the peace Garden. Including solidarity vigils held for Christchurch, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka terror victims.

• Scriptural Reasoning with Faith and Community leaders. The theme this year was the story of Jonah in the belly of the whale was hosted and led by Fr Charlie Hill and Muslim scholar in Imam Muhammad Sajidul Hashmiul Qadri.

• Solution Not Sides. Seminar held at Burnley and Pendle Faith Centre where two students from Israel and Palestine talked about their life in the war-stricken country and their hope for the future.

• Walk of Faith with feast from St Catherine's Church, Todmorden Road, to Ibrahim Mosque on Brougham Street. Following tour of the mosque a traditional English feast with cheese and onion, meat and potatoes pies was enjoyed by all.

Rev. Peter Hapgood-Strickland, the retiring chairman who is leaving Burnley, was the main speaker who shared highlights of his years in Burnley and the work he did with BBB, churches and other voluntary organisations over two decades.

A total of £800, after paying for food was saved and this amount would go towards funding activities of the organisation in the coming year.

Coun. Foster said: "We were delighted with the turnout to the annual charity dinner. A big thank you to the Usha Restaurant and the staff and all those who supported the event.

"This money will help BBB continue the good work it has done over last 18 years, in the bringing people of all backgrounds together to make the town of Burnley a welcoming and inclusive community."