Annual Report 2010/11

Transcription

1 Annual Report 2010/11

2 Our Mission To provide a range of holistic, culturally sensitive services for the communities of London with a view to improving quality of life and enhancing community cohesion.

3 Contents Chairman s Foreword 4 Executive Summary 5 Religious Services 6 Education and Training 8 Social Welfare 10 Community Cohesion 14 Economic Development 16 Premises 17 History and Archives 19 Conclusion 20 Management Committee 20 Testimonials 21 Financial Statements 22

4 Chairman s Foreword In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. The year, as ever, has passed so quickly. I have been concerned to ensure our efforts to make a positive difference in our community, both for Muslims and non-muslims, have not been diverted by the rise in Islamophobia. Last summer the communities of Tower Hamlets again faced a threat from anti-muslim extremists, exacerbated by irresponsible reporting. Thankfully, Tower Hamlets is a mature borough where there is no place for hate. We had the privilege and pleasure of working alongside many others, striving for peace and mutual respect, valuing each other s contributions to the fabric of our society. Our objective is to provide essential services to support our communities. This year the number of people accessing the mosque and centre has increased; the downturn in the economy has led to more people requiring welfare support, advice, counselling, and career redirection. Our footfall now exceeds 1.5 million people per year! This has been the year when we marked our centenary: one hundred years since the creation of the London Mosque Fund in 1910, after a successful launch at the House of Lords, this was followed by a street celebrations for the community, then a VIP-led centenary dinner. The commemoration is set to continue with a publication by Prof Humayun Ansari in the Camden Series, revealing the early history of the mosque. The centenary year has seen great excitement with the progress of the Maryam Centre, and insha Allah it sets the pace for the next one hundred years to come. Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari Chairman 4 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2010/11

5 Executive Summary In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. We passed another eventful and successful year at the Mosque and Centre, and marked our centenary too. The BBC produced a one-hour documentary on the 100-year history of the East London Mosque. A combined Eid and centenary event was attended by around 15,000, with activities for the whole community. Lord Sheikh hosted a centenary celebration for ELM at the House of Lords. Ramadan 2010 was especially busy; an average of 9,000 people used our facilities every day, including the provision of Iftar (breaking fast) for over 500 people. We broke our own fundraising record on Channel-S on the 25th night; 1.2 million was pledged in donations and loans, despite the economic downturn. Both our schools, Al-Mizan and the London East Academy, were inspected by Ofsted and received an overall good grade with some outstanding features. 96% of students achieved 5 or more GCSEs including Maths and English, the best results in Tower Hamlets. Most of our part-time Islamic educational provision is oversubscribed, with long waiting lists. Around 750 children attend Islamic classes in evenings and at weekends. In addition, more than 100 students received support with their GCSEs and a further 300 children attended the summer school. There are Islamic classes for men and women in the ELM and LMC almost every day of the year. There has been a steady increase in the number of deaf Muslims attending the Friday prayer because the sermon is interpreted in BSL. The volunteers of ELMT are a great asset on Fridays, Ramadan and Eid as they help maintain order and organise the collection of donations. Our reception receives hundreds of calls and enquiries every day. Many are for the Imams; people seeking advice on how to live their life in accordance with their faith. ELM continues to be an active member of TELCO, participating in many of the campaigns for the common good. Our Imam became a patron of the Richard House Hospice for children and our Chairman became a patron of Anchor house, a hostel for the homeless. ELM also forged new relationships to promote better understanding between the local Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities. We worked with the Joseph s interfaith Foundation to form the Imams & Rabbis Council, which was launched in the House of Lords. This is the first of its kind in UK. The English Defence League targeted our Mosque in July 2010, citing the Channel 4 Dispatches programme Britain s Islamic Republic. The communities came together to confront the challenge of the EDL, forming the United East End platform. A successful rally was organised at the LMC with people of all faiths and none, followed by a demonstration of 5,000 people (who rallied to Altab Ali park) against the rise of Islamophobia and anti-muslim hatred. We completed the remaining outputs for Way To Work, our successful employment project that had seen its original two-year term extended to five years. Construction work for Phase 2, the Maryam Centre, has continued at a steady pace, and now forms a striking landmark complementing the Mosque and Centre. Insha Allah, this expansion will bring even more benefit to our community. Dilowar Hussain Khan Executive Director Executive Summary 5

6 Religious Services Prayer Facilities We are still seeing a gradual increase in the number of people praying at our mosque. In an average week about 28,000 use the mosque and centre for prayer, with up to 5,000 people for Jumuah (Friday) prayer alone. In Ramadan the total number of people attending prayers passed the quarter of a million mark. The Mosque has British Sign Language interpreters for the Friday sermon and for the Eid prayers. The funeral service now has a permanent office at the front of the mosque, next to the bookshop. Hardly a day goes by without a Janazah (funeral) prayer, usually straight after the midday prayer. The funeral service will have new facilities in Phase 2. New Muslims Our Islam Awareness Project runs regular classes at the East London Mosque for new Muslim men and women to learn the basics of their religion, along with regular social programmes and other activities to make new Muslims feel more part of the wider Muslim community. Religious Teaching One of the Mosque s duties is to help people learn about their religion. There are a number of weekly sessions running in the Mosque in English, Somali, Bengali and Arabic. Two Hajj training programmes, in Bangla and English, were held with a combined attendance of about 1,000 people. There were also two Umrah seminars in Bangla and English with a total attendance of around 400. Adhan Radio This valuable service continues to provide access to the Adhan, Jumuah khutbah, Tarawih and selected programmes for those at home. It is estimated about 3,000 adhan radios are in circulation. Ramadan 2010 In Ramadan it is very busy every single day. This year we kept daily records of the number of people attending congregational prayers, which for the whole month came to over 263,000. Every day in Ramadan Iftar (breaking of the fast) meals were provided for around 500 people, including meals for the homeless. Business and individuals were invited to sponsor meals, which covered almost half the costs. As in previous years the demand for I tikaf was high, far higher than the space available. Sixty people were accommodated in the Mosque. Over 30,000 was collected by other organisations in Ramadan for a variety of good causes. Cash collections raised more than 85,000 for the Mosque and ELM Phase 2. Eid Eid Al-Fitr was offered in five congregations; 42,000 was collected in Zakah Al-Fitr (to give to the poor), and 16,815 in donations. Eid Al- Adha was offered in 4 congregations, with just over 12,500 collected in donations for the Mosque. 6 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2010/11

7 Ramadan 2010: Worshippers wait to break their fasts. Ramadan Huffaz: Sh. Ahmed Amir, Sh. Bukenya, Hafiz Abu Tayeb, Hafiz Tanvir Hussain and Hafiz Amjad Hussain Long serving East London Mosque Trust Member Tobaris Ali. Sir Robert Carnwath looks at the ELMT centenary exhibition. Imam of Makka, Sh. Abdur Rahman as-sudais inaugurates the building of the Maryam Centre in Religious Services 7

8 Education & Training Picture: Al-Mizan Teacher, Mishkat Hasan with some of his students. Improving School Attendance & Attainment in Partnership (ISAAP) This year the project has changed its name slightly and it is now called Improving School Attendance & Attainment in Partnership (ISAAP). ISAAP s newly developed comprehensive approach not only focuses on attendance and punctuality but now addresses wider issues of pupil attainment, behaviour, parental engagement, etc. Although ISAAP has enjoyed another year of delivering exciting and creative programmes to both primary and secondary schools, the biggest challenge has been to sustain the project during a period of major funding cuts. Throughout the year ISAAP has continued to provide families with support and assistance to ensure their children get the best out of school. This year ISAAP has provided direct support to nearly 400 parents and 400 pupils through one-to-one meetings, home visits and workshops. Through general school assemblies ISAAP has taken its message to over 3000 pupils in various schools in Tower Hamlets. The ISAAP Primary-Secondary Transition Project which started last year was extremely successful in supporting Year 6 pupils in their transition to Year 7. ISAAP s class competitions were once again very popular with pupils; the project gave gift vouchers to the winners the children loved it! London East Academy (LEA) The primary provision, Al Mizan, was inspected by Ofsted in April Their report noted it provides a good quality of education and successfully meets its aims, and that pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding, as is their behaviour. They further observed that outstanding provision is made for the memorisation of the Qur an, that the quality of teaching seen during the inspection was consistently good, and that pupils make a good contribution to their local community Al Mizan currently has 90 boys on roll in four classes, years 3 to 6. Our secondary too had been inspected and was found to be good overall with Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural curriculum and student behaviour rated as outstanding. The school made significant improvements in its GCSE results in the academic year , from 74% last year to 96% this achieving 5 or more GCSEs including Maths and English, the best in the local borough. The Academy currently has 145 students and 13 members of staff. The LEA Sixth Form currently has 17 students taking between them 12 different AS and A2 subjects along with Islamic Sciences and Arabic. Six students have applied to universities in the UK. Some of the subjects have been offered in partnership with Jamiatul Ummah Sixth Form. Due to smaller numbers, Governors are exploring the possibility of pausing recruitment for the next academic year. Saturday Islamic School (SIS) The Saturday Islamic School has served the community for the last fifteen years. Over this time the school has grown and expanded to cater for more children and offer a broader curriculum. The school currently has more than 550 girls and boys. It takes place at ELM, LMC, Stepney Green Maths and Computing College, St Paul s Way Trust School, and the Redbridge Islamic Centre. Classes are expected to start at Bethnal Green Technology College from September, insha Allah. The school has successfully registered itself as a centre for Asset Language with OCR and will for the first time, enter children for GCSE in Arabic language. It now caters for children aged 6½ to 15 years. The main challenge for the school is to maintain the quality of learning while expanding to cater for academic excellence. Finding good teachers for GCSE is proving to be a challenge. The school has 25 staff members and 5 volunteers male and female. More than 25% of the staff and volunteers are former students. Evening Madrasah The Evening Madrasah provides classes for children from 5 to 7 each weekday evening. The curriculum includes Qur an, Islamic Studies, Fiqh, Tajweed, Manners, Aqeedah, and much more. It has adopted 8 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2010/11

9 an Islamic Citizenship and Arabic Language programme in two classes through Tower Hamlets Community Language Services Authority. Currently there are 398 students on roll with another 166 on the waiting list; 8 classes take place in the Mosque and 6 in the LMC. There are 16 teachers plus 4 volunteers each teaching 10 hours per week. Summer Supplementary Course This ever popular course ran for two weeks in the summer of 2010 with the theme Living the Qur an. As well as teaching participants the basic principles of Islam and Tajweedul-Qur an, it included a variety of recreational activities such as arts and crafts, football, T-shirt printing, and team building activities. The course concluded with an awards ceremony providing gifts and certificates for all participants. Separate classes were run for boys and girls aged 8 16, with approximately 250 attendees. Al Baseera Institute of Arabic & Islamic Studies Al Baseera Institute was established over a decade ago to deliver basic knowledge of Arabic, Qur an and Shari ah studies, through adult classes based at the London Muslim Centre. Core subjects offered every semester include: Arabic Alphabet, Arabic Reading, Arabic Language Course, Tajweedul Qur an Course, and Tahfidhul Qur an. Al Baseera partners with the East London Mosque in organising seasonal training programmes for Hajj and Umrah. Library The library continues to operate from Monday to Thursday PM, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday PM, with some seasonal adjustment around the prayer times. It is staffed by two part-time librarians and a number of support volunteers. The library s has over 6,500 books, mainly in English and Arabic, but includes over 600 books in Bangla and over 500 for children. The number of users has now passed 1,700 visits per month. Food 4 Thought Food 4 Thought is a culturally sensitive study support scheme, launched in London in 2005, with the aim of raising the achievement of local youth in secondary education. It aims to instigate independent learning, critical thinking, selfconfidence and a passion to work for the benefit of the society. The mentoring scheme endeavours to raise aspiration and encourage further education through assistance in mapping routes to specific careers. This is tailored to individual interests and needs. Food 4 Thought has two major projects: London Muslim Centre (LMC) Study Support which assists educational, social, moral and even physical development in various ways, such as through taught sessions, one-to-one support, mentoring and trips; and the Idea Store Homework Club which helps students to do their homework, with experienced tutors and teachers at hand. Food4Thought is managed and run by undergraduates and graduates. Rainbow House Children s Centre Rainbow House Children s Centre is dedicated to quality provision for under 8-year-olds, including morning and afternoon pre-school sessions, an Arabic language club, an Evening Madrasah, Qur an for mums, and crèche services. Over 100 children and parents benefit from its services every week. It is working with Ofsted and Early Years to explore the possibilities of expanding to meet the needs of parents and reduce its waiting list. Islamic Circles for Children and Adults with Disabilities The East London Mosque recognises the need to provide access to Islam for all people including those with a disability. The partnership with Al- Isharah has meant that regular circles are held using British Sign Language for children who are deaf; on average 30 people attend on a regular weekly basis. Additionally, Al-Isharah holds weekly circles after Friday prayer to discuss the sermon in greater detail. Approximately 35 deaf adults take part each week. We are pleased that Al-Isharah now has a permanent office in the LMC community centre on the 4th floor, which will make planning services for deaf people more effective. Junior Muslim Circle Junior Muslim Circles (JMC) is the weekly circle run at the East London Mosque for girls and boys. It aims to bring fun and enjoyment to children s Islamic development, by teaching them about the basics of Islam, as well as giving the opportunity for fun and games. JMC provides an array of activities, such as sports, arts and crafts, drama and much more. JMC gives children the chance to express themselves, be active and develop key skills such as reading, writing and presenting; all skills that will aid them as they grow up and help them live a good Islamic lifestyle in the future. Education and Training 9

10 Social Welfare Picture: Robin Knowles CBE QC, Chairman of Pro Bono in the LMC. Help, Advice and Counselling The Mosque is a vital point of contact for advice, guidance and support on religious and personal matters for people of all ages and backgrounds. Enquiries are received in person, by letter, and phone. The large volume of enquiries places a huge workload on the Imams. It is also difficult for reception staff to field enquiries from the public because the Imams are so busy. Even with dedicated surgery hours it is often not possible to deal with all the enquiries. Jamiat-ul-Muslimin Jamiat-ul-Muslimin is a volunteer organisation for the East London Mosque with 121 members. It encourages its volunteers to give their time towards the House of Allah. Jamiat-ul-Muslimin has regular responsibilities for the Friday prayer including stewarding the Mosque and parts of the LMC, and all the collections in both buildings. Its volunteers help to make sure that the running of the Friday prayer goes smoothly. For the last three years Jamiat-ul-Muslimin helped organise I tikaf at the end of Ramadan. Working in Partnership The East London Mosque continued to strengthen its relationships with existing partner organisations, and forged new relationships to advance the common good. London Citizens and TELCO We actively participated in most of the major campaigns of London Citizens and The East London Communities Organisation (TELCO), of which the Mosque is a founding member. The campaigns include Living Wage, Community Land Trust, City Safe, Strangers into Citizens, Stopping economic exploitation by. Muslim Youth Helpline The Mosque supported the Muslim Youth Helpline with its gifts for Muslim prisoners project in Ramadan. ELMT facilities were made available to them to pack 4,000 Eid gifts for Muslim prisoners. Further discussions are taking place to see how we can work with the Muslim Youth Helpline. Richard House Hospice for Children and St Joseph s Hospice The East London Mosque Trust has developed a special relationship with Richard House Children s Hospice and St Joseph s Hospice. The objective has been to increase awareness of the vital services that are on offer for families facing terminal illness. The mosque plays a pivotal role in developing better understanding between the service providers and the Muslim community. We have co-operated in a number of radio shows discussing the topic of death as well as organising a conference as a part of Dying Matters Week. We are pleased that our Chief Imam, Shaikh Abdul Qayum, was selected to join Richard House Children s Hospice as patron. Others Initiatives MINAB hosted workshop with Muslim Women. Al-Isharah provides services for deaf Muslims regularly. MADE in Europe encourages development and enterprise within in Muslim communities in Europe, and are now located in the LMC. 1st Ethical hosted seminar on Islamic Finance. Common Purpose hosted meetings. Olympics 2012 Community consultation on Olympic legacy. Attestations and Nikah Registration The imams receive many requests to provide attestations and references for people, such as providing proof that someone belongs to a religious community, work related issues, etc. Performing Nikah (Islamic marriage solemnisation) is one of the functions of the Imams and this service is headed by the Muezzin. Charity Collections at East London Mosque (excluding Ramadan) Foreign and UK based charities collected almost 40,000 at the Mosque for appeals for various causes including orphanages, Mosques and Islamic Centres, Madrasahs, da wah and relief work. In this period more than 60% of the total raised was for UK based charities. 10 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2010/11

11 Picture: Imams who completed training with Faith in Health Faith in Health Faith in Health continues to educate the communities of Tower Hamlets and neighbouring boroughs by tackling health inequality through training of Imams and religious leaders. The training attracts approximately 90 imams and religious leaders; imams are encouraged to convey what they learn through their own sermons and lectures. Health Connex events attract many visitors, demonstrating the benefit for health messages to be delivered in an informal setting where people are not judged for the reason they are there. Faith in Health has completed four Road Shows, visiting over 30 Mosques each quarter; two promoted Health Connex events, one for Get The Right Treatment and one for the Ramadan campaign. Taking advantage of the 2,000+ hits on the ELM website, Faith in Health has developed its own section. The portal has information about services and other health information, downloads and links. Faith in Health has opened an interactive online health service, giving the site user an opportunity even to do an online hearing test. The Ramadan campaign was a huge success. Faith in Health was at the heart of all the NHS Tower Hamlets as well as Bart s and the London s Ramadan media campaigns. Faith in Health led the Ramadan campaign under the banner of Keeping healthy in Ramadan. As its success built on previous years, Bart s and the London joined in to carry their messages forward to the community using Faith in Health s ability to deliver. ELM Women s Link Women s Link is a support project for women and young females based in the East London Mosque. The project provides culturally sensitive, faith based services to women both in the local community and across London, in four areas: access to learning and work; sports, health and recreation; family support services; and, other services, including weekly mosque tours, Jumuah support, general advocacy and an ongoing volunteer programme. Women s Link works in partnership with a range of organisations to both signpost and make referrals. There are regular groups for women to attend, such as the Circle of Knowledge which runs once a week where women are able to drop in and enjoy learning about different aspects of Islam. Women s Link organises the annual International Women s Day event which is held at the London Muslim Centre and also has an open day for people to find out more about the project. Al-Ihsan Marriage & Family Advice Service (AIMFAS) AIMFAS has served around 300 clients over the last period and made some improvements in service delivery. The marriage service is complemented by other services provided by AIMFAS including raising awareness of the importance of marriage, advice and counselling, etc. A website was developed and a successful conference was organised with around 400 people in attendance. Pro Bono in the LMC Pro Bono in the LMC (PBLMC) is a voluntary, not-for-profit organisation that provides free help to those in need of legal advice and assistance. PBLMC now offers its free legal surgeries from the 4th floor of the LMC; this allows for greater community access than was the case previously. In the last year PBLMC started a domestic violence helpline, which offers initial advice for those affected by domestic abuse. In the past year it has assisted over 150 clients, both Muslim and non-muslim. Somali Development Association The Somali Development Association (SDA) has had a number of successful activities, events and seminars in collaboration with statutory, community, governmental and non-governmental organisations. These have not only contributed to the skills of our members but also raised SDA s profile in the borough and beyond. The SDA has carried out a number of group workshops and seminars on social ills in the community, working with external agencies. The SDA has funded the running costs of Kulaal primary & intermediate school in Somalia where more than 250 students attend, receiving education for free. North African Community Association (NACA) NACA provides a number of facilities that are not just limited to the North African community. Services include a weekend school, family counselling, and support and health advice. NACA s school caters for over 100 children aged The syllabus consists of Arabic language, Qur an and Islamic studies, including hadiths and du aas. Over the past year, the family counselling service has been very successful, has served over 80 families and reunited several families on the verge of separation and divorce. Social Welfare 11

12 An Al-Mizan student recites verses from the Holy Qur an. Reverend Alan Green speaks to guests at the ELMT Centenary Dinner. The East London Mosque honey bees are inspected. Rabbi Mark Winer talks to Muslims at an interfaith event. The community unites against the English Defence League and walks past the London Muslim Centre (Sep 2011). 12 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2010/11

13 Mosque staff, management and volunteers complete the British 10K run to raise funds for the Maryam Centre. Prof. John Adair launches his book at the London Muslim Centre. MP Rushanara Ali celebrates the ELMT centenary at the House of Lords. Guests from Richard House and St. Joseph s Hospice talk about End of Life care on Muslim Community Radio. 13

14 Community Cohesion Picture: Aisha Alvi speaks at the Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hatred Event Exhibition and Open Days The Islam Awareness Project (IAP) organised three Exhibition and Open days: July and November 2010, and March The aim is to convey the real message of Islam and make the Mosque accessible to our neighbours and the wider community, also to promote community cohesion and engagement. The events were publicised widely in Tower Hamlets. On average there were 150 visitors per day. All visitors were offered a guided tour of the Mosque during which the basic beliefs and practices of Islam were presented. They were also presented with a gift pack. IAP provided diversity and cultural awareness training to leaders of the Salvation Army. This is an annual partnership programme with the Salvation Army and has been running successfully for many years. IAP researched and produced an activity booklet for school children visiting the Mosque. Visitors & School Visits We hosted numerous schools, colleges and universities this year, totalling 86 groups. A special centenary exhibition has been on display in the London Muslim Centre concourse, providing visitors with a unique insight into the Mosque s one hundred year history. Local schools, and even schools from other parts of London, visited the Mosque and Centre. Visitors are given the opportunity to see the main prayer hall in the mosque and parts of the centre that deliver projects and services for the community. Muslim Community Radio (MCR) Muslim Community Radio 2010 was an enormous success with thousands of listeners across London tuning in to benefit from the variety of talk shows. Broadcasting from the LMC rooftop on 1134 AM radio frequency. MCR helped capture the spiritual essence of Ramadan through the live Tarawih prayers, children s shows, and various topical debates. Visits by Dignitaries Louis Susman is the first US Ambassador to visit our institution. The ambassador toured the Mosque and Centre, and met with pupils in an evening Madrasah class. Young people from the community were invited to meet the ambassador to have a frank and open discussion on their perceptions of the USA. He invited them to enrol for the US embassy s cultural and interfaith programme. The ambassador noted that since 9/11 a lot has changed and there is a tremendous amount of interfaith work done by the Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities. The Greek Minister for Education and Religious Affairs, Anna Diamantopoulou visited, accompanied by representatives from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. The Minister and guests were given a tour of the ELM and a summary of the Mosque s 100-year history. The Minister also heard how the Mosque is actively engaged in interfaith work with leaders from the Christian and Jewish faiths. Later, in a meeting with the Executive Director of the Mosque, the Minister learnt how second- and thirdgeneration Muslim migrants had integrated into mainstream British society. The visit was initiated by the Greek government who were seeking advice in building a similar mosque and centre in Athens for the Greek Muslim community. The Mosque hosted a reception in 2010 with the Grand Mufti of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dr Mustafa Ceric, an event attended by Muslim community leaders and civic leaders from the wider society. A central part of the Mufti s trip to the United Kingdom was to highlight the genocide that took place in Srebrenica on 11th July Media The website has been used more effectively to provide information on the home page about relevant community news, events and media releases. The weekly khutbah (sermon) continues to be uploaded to the website and split into Arabic, Bengali and English. The section on ELM Phase 2 has been updated regularly to keep people informed of progress. The Mosque has dedicated Facebook and Twitter pages with a joint following of 10,943 users. The pages have seen a steady rise in the number of users subscribing to them over the past year. Community news and information about events are disseminated using the Facebook page. People have the opportunity to interact and post on the page wall. There have been hundreds of media enquiries related to the Muslim community in the UK, from film 14 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2010/11

15 Picture: Greek Minister shown around the mosque by Media Officer, Salman Farsi. makers, photographers, journalists, students and others. Islam Channel hosted two live fundraisers from the Mosque and Centre during Ramadan: a live collection for Muslim Aid s earthquake disaster fund, and another for Islamic Relief. BBC Documentary: Middle EastEnders The BBC aired a documentary called Middle EastEnders during Ramadan (August 2010). It followed the history of the East London Mosque from its origins in 1910 to the present day. The programme was watched by about one million when it aired on 25 August It was also available online for a limited time on BBC iplayer. Working with others for Community Cohesion A lot of time has been dedicated to interfaith and community cohesion work. The Executive Director was elected as one of the vice-chairmen of the Faiths Forum for London, an organisation established two years ago to promote interfaith relations across London. The Assistant Executive Director chaired the recently established Tower Hamlets Community Voluntary Service. We actively participated in and spoke at events organised by One Society Many Cultures, the TUC and Progressive London to promote better community relations and multiculturalism. We also worked with the Joseph s Interfaith Foundation to establish the Imams and Rabbis Council, which was launched in the Houses of Parliament in November Two seminars were organised with a local church, St Helen s, to promote better understanding between the Christian and Muslim Communities. An Interfaith lecture was delivered by Rabbi Ari Lamm on 22 March 2011 at the London Muslim Centre. The Executive Director is a trustee of All Faiths And None (AFAN), which organises debates and discussions in colleges throughout the UK to promote better understanding between faith and non-faith communities. We also worked with Tower Hamlets Council, Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forum, The East London Communities Organisation (TELCO), and the Muslim Council of Britain. Confronting anti-muslim hatred The ELM is part of another initiative, Enough Coalition, to confront Islamophobia and anti-muslim hatred in the UK and Europe. An international conference was held at the London Muslim Centre in May After the Dispatches programme on Channel 4, the English Defence League targeted the East London Mosque and threatened to demonstrate outside the mosque to close it down. A united platform was initiated in June 2010 under the banner United East End by people of all faiths and none to confront the threat from the EDL. It was decided to organise a counter march to show that the people of Tower Hamlets are united against Islamophobia and racism. The other objective was to channel the energy of the local youth in an organised and positive way. The LMC hosted a rally a week before the march to generate support from all communities; around 1000 leaders and people of all faiths attended. Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure Service The Mosque in its capacity as an Umbrella Body with the CRB continued to provide a Disclosure Service to community groups and organisations in East London. In the last twelve months 245 disclosures were successfully processed, an increase of almost 50% compared to the previous year. The Mosque is currently working with 47 organisations to provide CRB checks for their staff and volunteers. Community Cohesion 15

16 Economic Development Way to Work Since 2005 Way to Work has provided a range of training and employment programmes, successfully placing people into sustainable jobs. For a project that was supposed to run for two years, the award-winning success meant an extension to its activities for a further three years. However we have now come to a point where the changing needs of the community and the development of the Maryam Centre require us to re-focus our resources. In December 2010, we successfully completed all our commitments and bid farewell to the excellent staff, interns and volunteers that delivered Way to Work and Faith in Work. Faith Regen Foundation at the LMC Faith Regen Foundation has continued to work in partnership with the LMC to deliver education and training to those hard to engage groups, from its facility on our fourth floor. Faith Regen successfully delivered a 13-week work focused ESOL course with 115 BAME clients of Tower Hamlets and Hackney Boroughs from the LMC. To ensure learners are ready to enter the workplace, they are provided with job search support, in the form of interview practise sessions, IT skills provision and CV building. As one of the UK s online centres, Faith Regen provides people with access to computers and the internet, as well as advice on using them. Faith Regen s partner organisation, Training Connect, delivers ESOL Citizenship Courses from the centre for those applying for a British Passport, extension of Visa or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). LMC Business Wing and Other Tenants ELMT has a number of businesses as tenants in the LMC Business Wing and the Mosque shop. The shop that remained at the front of the ELM has been permanently partitioned into two. Haji Taslim Funerals continue to occupy one part, but his is now on a permanent basis, and some renovation work has been undertaken to improve their facilities. This second part is now a book and clothes shop called Blackstone. Picture: LMC Business Wing and Shop Units 16 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2010/11

17 Premises Renovation, Redecoration & Outfitting Works The room on the 4th floor, previously used by our IT Team, has been redecorated as an office for Al- Isharah, the project for deaf Muslims. The IT Team has moved to the first floor; the space next to the Admin office has been completely refurbished and turned into an extension. As part of the Phase 2 development, the ELM gas intake, sited in the Youth Lounge in the basement, has been upgraded to service both buildings. The front circulation area of the LMC has been completely redecorated. In the LMC ablutions, all taps replaced: the previous shower-head units were replaced with the aerated flow type. The office that had been occupied by Adult Training Network was completely redecorated for new tenants. Technical Services The mosque and centre are connected by a substantial network to meet the needs of staff, projects, schools and the library. A Technical Manager and Technician provide day-to-day support and continue to develop and expand our services. Our AV facilities are critical not only for prayers but also facilitating a wide variety of events. This includes the live relaying of prayers, recording, facilitating events of all sizes, and integrating with MCR and our Adhan Radio network. The Technical Manager is currently developing a specification for the new systems required for Phase 2, and looking at ways of enhancing delivery in our existing facilities, particularly streaming video from the Mimbar. Projects and User Groups of ELMT The following projects/user groups are using the rooms and halls of LMC on a regular basis: Improving School Attendance and Attainment in Partnership Women s Link Al Mizan Tahfizul Madrasah ELM Evening Madrasah London East Academy Saturday Islamic School Al-Baseera Institute Somali Development Association North African Community Association Faith Regen Foundation Bangladesh Forum Europe Al-Isharah Deaf Muslim Project Pro Bono in the LMC Faith in Health Islamic Forum Europe Young Muslim Organisation UK Muslimaat UK Islam Awareness Project Junior Muslim Circle Rainbow House Play Group Al-Ihsan Marriage Service Council of Mosques - Tower Hamlets Way to Work Library Food4Thought Supplementary School School/College Link Project Association of Islamic Teachers UK Events Bookings in LMC The LMC is a popular venue for weddings, conference, seminars, and other hires (a list of the major hirers is given in the next section). Managing the diverse use of the LMC is very challenging. It means balancing the needs of the schools, internal user groups and worshippers in Ramadan with the necessity to generate income to pay for the running of the centre. Many organisations have already discovered that the London Muslim Centre is the ideal venue for conferences, seminars, meetings, launches and exhibitions. Some of the organisations who held their events at the London Muslim Centre in this period: Air Express Amanah Investment Ltd (AIC) Association of Muslim Lawyers UK Barts & the London Hospital BBC Radio 4 Bengal Muslim Research Institute British Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce Communities Against Drugs and Alcohol Abuse (CADAA) East Africa Welfare Ernst & Young Exeter University EXIM Bank Fair Trade FOSIS Islamic Relief London Borough of Hackney London Borough of Tower Hamlets London Citizens National Union of Teachers Premises 17

18 Phase 2 (Maryam Centre) Work on Phase 2 has continued at a steady pace, with the completion of all concreting, and the erection of internal block work and external brick work up to the fifth floor. The prominent mosaic elevation overlooking Whitechapel Road has been installed. The original external design was amended with the agreement of the planning authorities to take account of our wish to use the same two brick colours already used in the mosque and centre. As part of our Section 106 agreement, a survey of users was conducted and a travel plan developed and approved, which aims to encourage walking and cycling to the mosque and centre. External funding and support was secured to enable this process. The travel plan has been linked to our Faith in Health project, and further funding was provided to design and print 10,000 walking maps centred on the mosque for distribution to our users and visitors. We have facilitated dozens of site visits for staff, volunteers, pupils and visitors. This helps people to understand the scale and ambition of the project, and to feel part of this historic development. June Enabling Works Progress:10% November Foundation Works Progress:20% August Steel Structure / Concreting Floors Progress:30% September External Works Complete Progress:50% 18 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2010/11

19 History and Archives The East London Mosque Trust represents the culmination of 100 years of collaboration and cooperation between numerous men and women, Muslim and non- Muslim. The Centenary Committee met several times in 2010 to plan and coordinate activities around the ELMT s 100 year anniversary. Members of the committee included staff, ELMT members, volunteers and academics. A visual identity was created to represent the ELMT s centenary, which was produced in-house following a brief set by the Centenary Committee. Several options and ideas were presented before a final logo was chosen and approved. The final logo will be used on all centenary related publications, merchandise and events. Dr. Jamil Sherif volunteered to manage the historical archive and documents of the ELMT. Currently he is organising all the documents in chronological order and working to maintain a record of the archive that will also be kept on a database. A freelance writer has been commissioned to write a 20,000 word popular history of the East London Mosque Trust. This will hopefully form the basis of a publication that charts the history of the ELMT. On the 12th September 2010, the ELMT organised an Eid Festival, opened by Chair of the Council, Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman, in celebration of the ELMT s 100 year anniversary. The festival included an Islamic exhibition, funfair and bazaar with many families attending from the local community. A brief historical timeline of the East London Mosque Trust: 1910: First meeting organised to raise funds to establish a Mosque and Islamic Centre in London. 1940: Three houses purchased for the Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre on Commercial Road. 1941: Official opening of the East London Mosque. The Jumu ah prayer was lead by His Excellency Sheikh Hafiz Wahba, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia. 1975: The Greater London Council (GLC) under compulsory purchase order acquired the three buildings in Commercial Road and in return provided land and temporary buildings on Whitechapel Road, London E : The foundation stone of the East London Mosque was laid, this was followed by a generous donation by HRH King Fahd of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 1985: The official opening of the newly built East London Mosque by Sheikh Abdullah bin Subail, Imam of Masjidul Haram, Makkah on Friday 12th July : East London Mosque raised 600,000 from the local community to buy the adjacent disused land to develop its extension programme. 2000: The land was officially purchased and planning began in earnest to build the extension programme to house much needed community facilities. 2002: ELM acquires full planning permission for the extension programme titled the London Muslim Centre from the Local Council. 2004: Opening of the London Muslim Centre, 11th June 2004, where over 15,000 people congregated to pray with Sheikh Abdur Rahman as-sudais, Imam of Makkah. 2006: Establishment of employment and training projects. 2008: Planning, Design and Consultation for the proposed new development of the East London Mosque. 2009: Sheikh Abdur Rahman as-sudais, Imam of Masjidul Haram, Makkah leads groundbreaking ceremony in August This marks the expansion of the Mosque and women s facilities. 2010: Centenary celebrations marking 100 years of the East London Mosque Trust. History and Archives 19

20 Conclusion and Management Picture: Some members of the management committee. co-operate with one another for virtue and piety, and do not cooperate with one another for sin and transgression (Al-Qur an, 5:2). It is only through the Blessings of Allah we have achieved so much success. I am proud of the immense work that makes all this possible: the dedication and commitment of staff, volunteers, members and trustees. It is our determination to do good work for our communities, seeking Allah s pleasure, which makes this organisation so strong. The challenges faced by the mosque and centre, and the wider community, may have been too great had they been faced alone. It has been the unity of common purpose from which we have been able to draw strength, both internally and externally. The work with our partners to seek the common good must continue, and we must strive to find new and better ways to support communities affected by the economic downturn and spending cutbacks. A small, misguided minority in the Muslim community create disharmony and fear through a misunderstanding of Islam; sadly, this is associated by some with the majority of British Muslims, leading us to be stigmatised and marginalised. This is in contrast to the fear-mongering and hatred of the far right, which is recognised to be unrepresentative of wider society. Added to this has been wilful misrepresentation and slander by a small section of the media with clearly malicious intent. I pray we are not deterred by those who criticise from the extremes. We continue to fundraise for the Maryam Centre. Our ambition is to complete in time for the Olympics in The sooner we can finish this expansion of our facilities, the sooner we can relieve pressure during prayers, as well as bring additional services for women and visitors. Habibur Rahman Secretary Management Committee 17 th July 2010 to 16 th July 2011 The Trustees of the East London Mosque Trust during the session, who act as the Management Committee, were: 1. Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari Chairman 2. Muhammad Siddique Vice-Chairman 3. Ayub Khan Vice-Chairman 4. Muhammad Habibur Rahman Secretary 5. Sirajul Islam Treasurer 6. Dr Abdul Hayee Murshad Member 7. Ahmed Abdel Mohsen Ahmed Member 8. Ismail Jama Salah Member 9. Mohammad Abdul Malik Member 10. Muhammad Rahmani Member 11. Sati Aminur Rahman Member 12. Tobaris Ali Member Women s Advisory Board 17 th July 2010 to 16 th July Rahela Choudhury 2. Zaynab Abdullah 3. Mahera Ruby 4. Anjumara Begum 5. Salma Siddiqa 6. Reshma Sheikh 7. Asma Khan 8. Sumayyah Mohammed Mashal 9. Rosy Awwal 10. Shamsun Nahar Ruby 20 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2010/11

21 Pictures (left to right): Neil Jameson, Lord Sheikh and Mayor Luthfur Rahman. Testimonials Lord Sheikh Baron Sheikh of Cornhill in the City of London: I would certainly commend the Mosque and Centre: not only do you provide a place of worship, but you provide a holistic service and more importantly the empowerment for women. Let us all work together to foster good relationships. Common Purpose Amanda Broderick, Senior Course Co-ordinator: The group found the visit the ELM & LMC hosted extremely informative and it greatly helped to stimulate debate during the rest of the day. Citizens UK Neil Jameson, Executive Director: We have fought together, we have struggled together and we have learned together. The splendid work you have managed to do here [at the mosque], with your sweat, labour and own precious money is worth much more than the money itself. I stand here in solidarity with over some of the 250 institutions that make up Citizens UK, and we re with you through the bad times and the good. Tower Hamlets Council Luthfur Rahman, Mayor of Tower Hamlets: I believe this [the Maryam Centre] is an important development and demonstrates the important role women have in our community. House of Commons Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow: My father who came to the UK in the 1960 s and those of us who have moved to the East End long before, all of us have had a place in the mosque, with support and encouragement from the mosque. Pro Bono in the LMC Robin Knowles CBE QC, Chairman: [Pro Bono in the LMC] stands for everything that the mosque stands for; for service, for volunteering, for willingness on the part of those that have strength and time to give, to those in a weak and difficult moment or in a moment for a lack of understanding. Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forum Rev. Alan Green, Chairman: The leaders of the East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre have always been vital allies in our ongoing work to promote diversity and mutual respect. Testimonials 21

22 Financial Statements year ended 31 March 2011 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE Incoming Resources Restricted Unrestricted Total 2011 Total 2010 Donations 46,779 1,282,142 1,328,921 1,112,431 Rent and Service Charges - 792, , ,094 Educational Projects 661, , ,513 ELM - LMC Projects 256, , ,607 Others Income - 208, ,701 84,505 Resources Expended 964,172 2,282,913 3,247,085 3,308,150 ELM - LMC Projects: Direct Charitable 378, , ,218 Educational Projects: Direct Charitable 631,798 20, , ,433 Others Expenses: Direct Charitable 50,613 1,005,955 1,056, ,053 Management and Administration - 290, , ,778 Total Resources Expended 1,060,499 1,316,725 2,377,224 2,428,482 Net Income / Deficit for the Year -96, , , ,668 Fund movement: Unrestricted to Restricted -29,286 29, Funds as at 1 April ,920,105 11,718,738 14,638,843 13,759,175 Funds as at 31 March ,794,492 12,714,212 15,508,704 14,638,843 BALANCE SHEET Fixed Assets Total 2011 Total 2010 Freehold Properties at Cost 2,851,729 2,851,729 London Muslim Centre & Phase II 13,738,969 11,754,238 Long Leasehold 658, ,048 Fixture, Fittings and Equipment 289, ,657 Current Assets 17,538,082 15,576,672 Stock of Radio receiver Debtors & Prepayments 240, ,714 Cash at Bank & In-Hand 1,716,942 1,712,659 Creditors 1,957,142 2,195,367 Amount Falling Due within One Year 1,922,700 1,596,818 Net Current Assets/(Liabilities) 34, ,549 Total Assets Less Current Liabilities 17,572,524 16,175,221 Creditors Amount Falling Due > One Year 2,063,820 1,536,378 Total Net Assets 15,508,704 14,638,843 Funds Restricted 2,794,492 2,920,105 Total Fund Unrestricted 12,714,212 11,718,738 15,508,704 14,638,843 Approved by the Board of Trustees on 16 July 2011 and signed on it s behalf by: Mr Sirajul Islam Trustee & Treasurer Dr M A Bari Trustee & Chairman 22 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2010/11

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