Annual Report 2009/10

Transcription

1 Annual Report 2009/10

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3 Contents Chairman s Foreword 4 Executive Summary 5 Religious Services 6 Education And Training 8 Social Welfare 10 Community Cohesion 12 Economic Development 14 Premises 15 History and Archives 18 Comments from the Public 18 Conclusion 19 Management Committee 19 Timeline 20 Financial Statements 22 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

4 Chairman s Foreword In the name of Allah, the most Beneficient, the Most Merciful. This time last year work had just begun on our multi-storey expansion project. One year on an impressive steel structure rises high above our mosque, soon to become a hub of religious and social activity. For the inauguration ceremony we were fortunate to have the most popular Imam from Makkah, Shaikh Abdur Rahman As-Sudais. Thousands came to pray behind him; just like the opening day of London Muslim Centre the streets were filled with people praying. It is a source of comfort to all here that the popularity of the East London Mosque & London Muslim Centre continues to rise amongst ordinary Muslims, and our services to the community gain increasing recognition in wider society. The forthcoming year is set to be very busy, with centenary celebrations commencing later in 2010, and the continuation of our fundraising campaign. Insha Allah, during this centenary year we hope expand the work of our bustling complex in our aim to achieve the highest standards in our contribution to British society. Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari Chairman 4 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2009/2010

5 Executive Summary In the name of Allah, the most Beneficient, the Most Merciful. We have enjoyed yet another exciting year at the East London Mosque Trust (ELMT). Highlights include breaking the Guinness World Record for the most number of children reading with an adult, a celebration of World Book Day Over 3000 children listened to readings of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory here in the London Muslim Centre. We were delighted to host BBC Radio 4 s Any Questions, whose lively topical programme was brought to the London Muslim Centre (LMC) by London Citizens. After several years of preparation and fundraising, work on ELM Phase 2 began with the demolition of the funeral service building. Despite the ongoing construction, the number of people attending the Mosque continued to increase. Last Ramadan we set a new record for raising funds on Channel S, with over 1 million committed in one evening. Almost 1 million more was pledged on the 27th night of Ramadan in the East London Mosque. The Alhambra wall appeal proved to be a great incentive for people to donate to Phase 2. We saw an increase in the number of worshippers during Ramadan. ELM provided iftar for about 400 people every evening and also supported an Eid dinner for newly arrived students. The advice and counselling sessions run by our Imams continue to be very popular, with daily surgeries allowing people to address a wide range of personal and family issues. There were many health related events this year in the LMC organised by our Faith in Health project, attended by hundreds of local people. The project worked with NHS Tower Hamlets during the Swine Flu outbreak in 2009 to raise awareness in the mosques of Tower Hamlets with speed and efficiency. ELM Women s Link has made good progress in terms of service delivery. It has been awarded the Matrix Standard, the quality standard for information, advice and guidance services. The Open Days organised by the Islam Awareness Project continue to attract hundreds of visitors. A dinner organised by our partner organisations with our non-muslims neighbours and colleagues was very successful, attracting more than 300 guests. ELMT continues to work closely with London Citizens, Tower Hamlets Inter-Faith Forum, and Faiths Forum for London, supporting the campaigns they have initiated for the common good. Several of our staff and volunteers benefited from the community leadership courses delivered by London Citizens. Our Way to Work project is coming to the end of its four-year term. Originally a two-year project, the London Development Agency extended the term due to its award-winning success. Our advice and guidance counsellors did an excellent job, exceeding their delivery outputs every year by providing training for the unemployed and securing jobs for around 200 people in the last year alone. Our main focus in the coming year will be to raise the required funds to complete Phase 2 and to plan for the projects and services to be based in the new building. We pray to Allah (SWT) that He gives us the ability to continue to provide valuable services to the community and work for the common good for all. Dilowar Hussain Khan Executive Director Executive Summary 5

6 Religious Services Prayer Facilities The number of people attending the Mosque for congregational prayers continues to increase. Every day staff remain on duty to ensure worshippers can get in and out easily and find a place to pray. It is estimated up to 5,000 people attend on Fridays for Jumuah prayer, and some late arrivals pray outside on the pavement. All floors in both the Mosque and Centre are used. Staff and volunteers help to ensure the areas used for prayers are filled fully and safely. British Sign Language interpreters are there for the growing number of worshippers from the Deaf community. Special arrangements have been put in place to facilitate funeral prayers during the construction period. New Muslims The Mosque, through the Islam Awareness Project (IAP), continues to provide regular classes for men and women to learn the basic beliefs and practices of Islam. There is also good support for those who have questions about Islam and need help with their journey to Islam. IAP organises regular activities to make New Muslims feel more part of the Muslim community. There are social gatherings, Eid and Iftar occasions, residential programmes, and much more. Religious Teaching A core function of the Mosque is to help people to learn about their religion. There are a number of weekly sessions running in the Mosque in English, Somali, Bengali and Arabic. As in previous years, two training programmes were held before the Hajj season, one in Bengali and one in English, with an estimated 800 people attending both programmes. Adhan Radio This valuable service continues to provide access to the Call to Prayer, Friday Prayer, evening prayers in Ramadan, and selected programmes for those at home. It is estimated there are nearly 3,000 adhan radios in circulation. Ramadan At its peak almost 5,000 people attended the tarawih prayers (special prayers for Ramadan in the late evening), filling the entire mosque and centre. The Mosque hosted about 400 people every day in Ramadan for Iftar, the breaking of the fast. An appeal was made to the community including businesses to donate towards the Iftar fund. The response was very good with an estimated 40% of costs being covered by donations and food from local businesses. Sventy people performed I tikaf (seclusion) in the Mosque. Due to the overwhelming demand this year a lottery system was held to select people. Almost 50,000 was collected by other organisations in Ramadan for a variety of good causes. Cash collections also raised more than 87,452 for the Mosque and ELM Phase 2. Eid The Mosque is always extremely busy for Eid, offering several congregations to cope with the numbers of people. Eid Al-Fitr was offered in 5 congregations, with 39,515 collected in Zakah Al-Fitr (to give to the poor), and 21,944 in donations. Eid Al-Adha was offered in 4 congregations, and 22,944 was collected in donations. 6 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2009/2010

7 The Friday sermon translated into British Sign Language Religious Services 7

8 Education and Training Improving School Attendance in Partnership (ISAP) ISAP had another exciting and busy year. It continued its core work of delivering the attendance and attainment message through activities including school assemblies, home visits and workshops with both parents and pupils. The partnership work of ISAP now extends to over 20 primary and secondary schools. ISAP engaged with almost 200 families each term over 500 in the year. A new initiative piloted this year was the Primary-Secondary Transition Project. Here ISAP worked with a selected number of Year 6 pupils to support their transition to secondary school. The pupils were referred to us in their final term of primary school and stayed on the project two terms into their secondary school. This pilot was between Stebon Primary School and St Paul s Way Community School. Bow Boys became the third secondary school to use the project s attendance and attainment services. The work with Swanlea School and Stepney Green School has developed further and ISAP pupils have shown very positive results. ISAP came second in the Muslim News Awards in the category of Excellence in Education. As in previous years, ISAP held a series of class competitions amongst the ISAP primary schools very popular with pupils! ISAP provides families with support and assistance to ensure their children get the best out of school. School head teachers and staff were impressed with ISAP s work and the results ISAP pupils managed to achieve. London East Academy (LEA) For the second year running all secondary pupils achieved at least 5 A* to C in GCSEs and a CIE (Certificate in Islamic Education). The LEA can accommodate up to 150 secondary pupils. Year 11 and 6th Form students went on a trip to Egypt and Umrah accompanied by Mosque s Chief Imam, Shaikh Abdul Qayum. The primary provision, Al Mizan Primary School, continues to deliver a timetable split evenly between memorisation of the Qur an and the National Curriculum. This year there were 72 boys on roll in three classes, years 3, 4 and 5. There has been a continued effort to enrich the curriculum through outside activities and trips, including swimming, a trip to the 1001 Islamic Inventions Exhibition at the Science Museum, and fitness and football coaching. The LEA Sixth Form had 17 students taking between them 12 different AS and A2 subjects along with Islamic Sciences and Arabic. Three of its students were offered scholarships to enter Al Azhar. Applications have also been made to Madinah University and Umm Al Qurra in Makkah. Other students have also applied to universities in the UK. Some of the subjects have been offered in partnership with Tower Hamlets College and Jamiatul Ummah Sixth Form. The consortium between LEA Sixth Form, Ebrahim College and Jamiatul Ummah has made some progress and efforts are continuing to strengthen the links. Saturday Islamic School (SIS) The Saturday Islamic School teaches children about the basics of Islam, Qur an and Arabic language. It has a partnership with Stepney Green Maths and Computing College (SGC), and St Paul s Way Community School where classes started from February SIS classes are spread across the ELM, LMC, SGC and St Paul s Way, catering for about 500 girls and boys aged between 6 and 13 years. A further 25 students attend the 13+ provision to learn Arabic language to a GCSE standard. Evening Madrasah The Evening Madrasah provides classes for children from Monday to Friday from 5 to 7 each evening. There are over 270 students on roll with more on the waiting list. The Madrasah s curriculum delivers basic teaching about Islam in a positive, support environment. It has recently adopted an Islamic Citizenship programme in two classes through Tower Hamlets Community Language Services Authority. 8 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2009/2010

9 Evening madrasah girls singing a nasheed 8th East London Scout Group Summer Supplementary Course This popular course ran for two weeks in the summer of 2009 with the theme Footsteps to Ramadan. As well as teaching participants the basic principles of Islam, it included a wide variety of recreational activities such as arts and crafts, football, t-shirt printing, and team building activities. The course also included trips for each class such as bowling, ice skating, and was 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 will offer the following courses subject to demand: Arabic language levels 1 & 2, Tajweed for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced, Hadith, Fiqh, Aqeedah and Islamic History. The fee-free courses offered by Al Baseera have been very successful with attendance in the hundreds. These courses have included Hajj Taleem, Umrah Seminar, Tafsir al Qurtubi, Qur an class, etc. Library The library opening hours have been slightly extended again; it now opens from Monday to Thursday PM, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday PM, with some seasonal adjustment around the prayer times. An additional six computers, which had been donated to the mosque, were added to the library to bring the total to sixteen. New books in Arabic and English have been bought to expand the library s collection to over 6,500, which includes over 600 books in Bengali and over 500 for children. The number of users is steadily increasing, and currently stands at about 1,500 visits per month. Food 4 Thought (F4T) Food 4 Thought continued its successful work at the LMC every Sunday. The Study Support Programme focuses its efforts on supporting students in the core curriculum subjects of English, Mathematics and Science. The service is targeted at pupils in key stages three and four, helping to instil a deep enthusiasm and interest in learning. The aim is to inspire young people to reach greater heights by providing support to achieve higher grades at GCSEs through student-focused teaching, one-toone support and self development sessions designed to strengthen an individual s outlook and character. F4T has successfully continued its homework club sessions at the Ideas Store, Whitechapel, on Wednesday afternoons for Years 7 and 8. Rainbow House Children s Centre Rainbow House Children s Centre, open six days a week, is dedicated to quality provision for under 8-year-olds, including morning and afternoon pre-school sessions, an Arabic language club and crèche services. With all its sessions currently running at maximum capacity it sees over 100 children and parents benefiting from its services every week. Its recent Ofsted report highlighted the quality of the services provided by its staff and the vibrant environment in which children learn and grow. Islamic Circles for Deaf Children ELMT works closely with Al Ishara to provide Islamic learning for deaf people. Regular Islamic circles are organised every Saturday at the LMC for deaf children, aged Last summer ELMT launched the Friday sermon in British Sign Language; this has been particularly well received with deaf people travelling in specifically to take part in the Jumuah prayer as a result of this service. Jumuah prayer is followed by a study circle in BSL discussing the subject matter in the sermon. Junior Muslim Circle The Junior Muslim Circle holds regular weekend Islamic circles for boys and girls (about 200 in total) teaching basic Islamic tenets and manners whilst building a lasting relationship with the Mosque and other Muslim youth. It organises a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, and arranges trips and activity days during the school holidays, such as the JMC Summer Scheme. It involves young people in charity fundraising activities, and helps them develop positive life skills (e.g. outside speakers for citizenship, team building exercises, first aid training). Education and Training 9

10 Social Welfare 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, especially the Chief Imam; most people ask to see or speak to him when they contact the Mosque because of his knowledge and experience. 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. ELM is considering employing an additional Imam if a suitable candidate can be found. Jamiat-ul-Muslimin Jamiat-ul-Muslimin is a volunteer organisation for the East London Mosque with over 120 members. It has regular responsibilities for the Friday prayer including stewarding the Mosque and parts of the LMC, and all the collections in both buildings. It also helps to facilitate prayer in Ramadan and on the Eid days, as well as supporting I tikaf at the end of Ramadan. Its members have played an active role in developing a community fundraising team for ELM s new development, Phase 2. Jamiatul-Muslimin s volunteers have committed to raise 145,000. It gave significant support for the Channel S appeal during Ramadan, when over 50 volunteers assisted by taking phone calls and helping the staff to manage the event smoothly. Working in Partnership The Mosque has continued to work in partnership with many organisations and bodies on issues of common interest. Particular partnerships have been with the Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forum in delivering an international excursion to Bosnia-Herzegovina, forming United East End to challenge racism and fascism, and being a founding member of Faith Forum for London. 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. Al-Ihsan Marriage & Family Advice Service AIMFAS continued to provide a valuable service to the community and has made many improvements. The AIMFAS Office, based in the foyer of the Mosque, is now open four days a week to deal with the growing number of enquiries. The marriage service is complimented by other services provided by AIMFAS including seminars raising awareness of the importance of marriage, advice and counselling, etc. Charity Collections at East London Mosque (excluding Ramadan) External organisations collected more than 60,000 (excluding Ramadan see page 6 for Ramadan collections) for various causes including disaster relief, supporting mosques and Islamic centres, and many more worthy causes. Almost a quarter of the collections went to help and support organisations in the UK. The huge response to the humanitarian disaster after the Haiti earthquake can also be seen with 26% of the amount collected going to charities involved in the disaster relief efforts in Haiti. 10 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2009/2010

11 Sheikh Abdul Qayum visits St. Joesph s Hospice Faith in Health During the past year Faith in Health has continued to work in partnership with NHS Tower Hamlets to raise awareness of health services in Tower Hamlets. The project organised three of its Health Connex events, where NHS Tower Hamlets as well as other health providers were able to showcase the free services available to the community. The project continued an outreach programme with most of the mosques and doctors surgeries in Tower Hamlets, building relationships and gathering information from worshippers and patients about their health issues. The project facilitated Imam training sessions where they learned about health issues that affect the community. The aim was to help Imams understand local health services and how they can help the community reduce health inequalities. The sessions were attended by an average of 60 Imams. The project worked with NHS Tower Hamlets during the Swine Flu outbreak in 2009 to raise awareness in the mosques in Tower Hamlets with speed and efficiency. ELM Women s Link Based in the East London Mosque, ELM Women s Link offers a culturally sensitive, faith based service to women both in the local community, across London and by telephone, and post throughout England. The service has four key strands: access to learning and work; sports, health and recreation; family support; and other services such as weekly Mosque tours, Jumuah support, general advocacy and an ongoing volunteer programme. Women s Link works in partnership with a range of organisations both to signpost and make referrals. Women s Link provides information, advice and guidance through an appointment system and clients are usually seen within five working days. There is a drop-in session once a week for the general public to access the services. Women s Link organises the annual International Women s Day event which is held at the London Muslim Centre, and also a Fun Day during the summer break. Women s Link has recently been awarded the Matrix Standard, the quality standard for information, advice and guidance services. Pro Bono in the LMC (PBLMC) Pro Bono in the LMC is a voluntary, not-for-profit organisation that provides free help to those in need in obtaining legal advice and assistance. PBLMC refers clients to city firms such as, HoganLovells, ReedSmith and others, such as local solicitors. It works together with the Solicitors Pro Bono network known as LawWorks and the Bar Pro Bono Unit. PBLMC now offers its free legal surgeries from the 4th floor of the LMC; this allows greater community access. In the last year PBLMC has seen over 100 clients, and of those 60% were non-muslim. Indeed, in the past four years over 700 people have come through its doors seeking assistance. PBLMC also operates a Saturday clinic at the Idea Store in Whitechapel. Somali Development Association (SDA) The SDA raised over 9,000 for charitable work in Somalia. It successfully extended its charitable objects to include overseas aid to assist in education. It built a school that caters for over 500 children. The SDA has grown in student numbers again; at present there are 140 boys and girls, aged 4 16, from Bangladeshi, Somali, Arab, and other African and Asian and backgrounds. North African Community Association (NACA) The NACA provides a number of services for both children and adults. These include children s classes, parental support, family counselling and health advice. It has about 50 pupils enrolled for its weekend school, Baraim-ul-Iman. Over the past year, the family counselling service has been very successful, reuniting several families on the verge of separation and divorce. NACA also holds Arabic and Qur an classes for adults. Social Welfare 11

12 Community Cohesion Exhibition and Open Days The Islam Awareness Project organised regular Open Days at the Mosque and Centre to promote a better understanding of Islam and to build bridges within communities. Visitors can browse a comprehensive exhibition aimed at conveying the real message of Islam. There are tours throughout the day and everyone is given a gift pack to take away. The feedback from visitors has been very positive. Visitors and School Visits In the last twelve months, 82 groups visited the East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre from schools, universities and professional bodies. A total of 2,083 visitors were given guided tours by members of staff. In May an activity book for children (developed by the Islam Awareness Project) was launched providing basic information and tasks for them to do whilst visiting the Mosque. Muslim Community Radio (MCR) ELMT continued its partnership with Islamic Forum of Europe (IFE) to run the radio station throughout Ramadan. Volunteers created, produced and presented original programming throughout the schedule. Issues tackled included citizenship and political participation to more local issues such as education, housing, drugs and the environment. MCR continued to run a limited weekend service after Ramadan over the internet. It will work closely with IFE to bring to the people of East London a long term radio licence that will enable MCR to broadcast throughout the year. Visits by Dignitaries The Imam of Masjidul Haram in Makkah, Shaikh Abdur Rahman As-Sudais, visited the Mosque and Centre in July The Mosque also played host to BBC Any Questions, presented by Jonathan Dimbleby, with guests including former Mayor of London, Ken Livingston and fomer Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kenneth Clark. The new Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, visited the Mosque and Centre during Ramadan. Professor Michael Sandel, an American political philosopher and a professor at Harvard University, also visited as part of a TELCO programme. Media There has been media coverage for several events and occasions such as the visits of Shaikh As-Sudais and Mayor Boris Johnson, the breaking of the Guinness World Record for the number of children reading with an adult, and BBC Radio 4 s Any Questions hosted at the LMC. A partnership has been initiated with Iqra Television to broadcast a recording of our Friday khutbah. The ELMT website is under constant development. A dedicated section for ELM Phase 2 has been created, containing information and pictures on the construction. The development team is now in the first stages of formulating a complete redesign of the website to reflect changes in use over recent years. Two newsletters were published to keep the congregation in touch with events at the Mosque, with news of events taking place as well as information on the new ELM Phase 2 development. A Ramadan timetable was printed with support from NHS Tower Hamlets who were promoting their Smoking Cessation service to the community. 30,000 copies were distributed throughout the month, and a full-page of East End Life was used to bring the timetable to a larger audience. Working with Community Organisations ELMT continues to work with many organisations and bodies to further the interests of London s communities, including: Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forum The East London Communities Organisation (TELCO) Islamic Forum of Europe (IFE), Muslimaat UK and Young Muslim Organisation (YMO) Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure Service ELMT has continued to provide this valuable service to other community groups and organisations. There has been an increase in the number of organisations wanting to register with the service this year and ELMT has tried to accommodate as many as possible. Between June 2009 and May disclosures were successfully completed. 12 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2009/2010

13 Grand Mufti of Bosnia reminds us of Srebrenica massacre Boris Jonson Mayor of London visits during Ramadan Mohamed Zabadne talks to Yusuf Islam about Phase 2 LMC Hosts BBC Radio 4 Any Questions Community Cohesion 13

14 Economic Development Way to Work Project Way to Work continued to provide valuable support to the community by offering employer focussed training and qualifications as well as securing sustainable employment. Often becoming job ready is a big challenge for its clients, so a large part of the employment support is through mentoring, advice and guidance. Way to Work s key partners and funders include the London Development Agency, London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Community Consortium Against Poverty. In Way to Work placed 140 people into jobs, trained 190 clients, and provided employment support to 324 individuals. Way to Work has delivered unique training modules in partnership with NHS Tower Hamlets and CCAP. The objective was to access the long term unemployed and motivate them through faith based teachings to seek employment rather than being dependent on state benefits. Faith Regen 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. The following programmes and courses are currently being delivered: Learn Direct accredited courses, ESOL Classes, Basic Skills for numeracy and literacy, Basic ICT skills. LMC Business Wing and Other Tenants ELMT has a number of businesses as tenants in the LMC Business Wing and the Mosque shop. The businesses are doing reasonably well despite the difficult financial situation that all businesses are facing at present, in the current economic downturn. One of the two shops in the Mosque was vacated to be converted into a fire escape because of the Phase 2 development. The other shop was also vacated to be used in part as a site office for Phase 2 and for Haji Taslim Funerals office due to the demolition of their premises. This second shop will be available for commercial letting once the site office is no longer required. 14 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2009/2010

15 Premises Renovation, Redecoration and Outfitting Works The area above the LMC entrance, behind the mosaic, was converted into a substantial storage area, with access from the corridor created at the end of the LMC 1st floor corridor, and stepped access to the ELM roof. Rainbow House nursery was given a complete interior repainting in bright colours. The Chief Imam receives many visitors, but his original office was too small. By converting the office in the Reception area, a significantly larger office was created. There were severe water pressure problems in the ELM Women s ablutions. Initially it was planned to reroute a supply from the LMC, but in the end the best solution was to put in pumps and pressurise the mosque system. This has completely solved the water pressure problem. At the same time, all the taps were changed for new, aerated push-button taps. A baby-change unit was also installed. Additionally, in both the Mosque and Centre bypasses were installed so that in the event of a power cut water would still come into the building under mains pressure for the LMC, and tank pressure for the ELM. The LMC first floor hall was fully redecorated. The communal areas and second floor of the LMC Business Wing were redecorated. The room on the 4th floor previously used by Middle Path Media was converted into an office shared by Way to Work and Pro Bono in the LMC, who moved from the Business Wing, making their services even more accessible. 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 Quran 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 Deaf Muslim Project Pro Bono in the LMC Faith in Health Islamic Forum of Europe Young Muslim Organisation UK Muslimaat UK Saturday Halaqa Islam Awareness Project Junior Muslim Circle Rainbow House Play Group 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. 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. Some of the organisations who held their events at the London Muslim Centre in the last year include: Al-Muntada Al-Islami Al Isharah Amanah Investment Ltd (AIC) Association of Muslim Governors Bangladesh Football Association (BFA) Barts & the London Hospital BBC Radio 4 British Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce (BBCC) Channel S Common Purpose Communities Against Drugs and Alcohol Abuse (CADAA) The Cordoba Foundation Deaf Muslim UK East Africa Welfare Ernst & Young Exeter University EXIM Bank Fair Trade FOSIS Friends of Al-Aqsa Friends of the Citizen Foundation Greater Sylhet Council Ibrahim College IF Charity Islamic Relief Jagonari Women s Centre Premises 15

16 London Borough of Hackney London Borough of Tower Hamlets London Citizens Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) Markfield Institute of Higher Education (MIHE) Muslim Aid Muslim Hands Muslim Safety Forum NAFAS NHS (Various Departments) North East London Cancer Network NYS Corporate Pro Bono in the LMC Queen Mary University Reed in Partnership Salaam Insurance TELCO Tower Hamlets College Tower Hamlets Racial Equality Council Tower Hamlets Volunteer Sector ULU ISOC Ummah Welfare Trust United Airways Working Links YMCA Fitness Technical Services The complex now has a substantial network which has grown to meet the needs of staff, projects, schools and the library. Our Technical Manager has been joined by an additional technician; together they provide all the day-to-day support and continue to develop and expand our services. They are also putting together the specifications for the substantial expansion that Phase 2 will require. 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. During the next year a new AV system will be required for Phase 2. ELM Phase 2 Enabling works for Phase 2 began in June The sequence of works so far has been: Demolition of the funeral buildings. Creation of new fire exit routes from ELM halls through pervious shop at 98 Whitechapel Road. Excavation of site. Piling and foundations. Formation of basement area. Erection of steel structure. Creation of floors. Internal block layout of basement and ramp to street level. The brief for the development has been refined, with some renumbering of the floors: B Basement: a single basement which will contain improved funeral facilities, car and bicycle parking, and male ablutions. G Ground: a new prayer hall, joined to the existing main hall, with a new mihrab, internally about 6m high with no columns. In front of the mihrab is an area for coffins for funeral prayers, and a small rest room for Imams. The large entrance lobby has a small reception office, and a lift and stairs to all but the seventh floor. The lobby connects with both the mosque and the LMC concourse. Ramps provide wheelchair access to both halls, and to the LMC concourse. There is a separate, women-only entrance with a second, extra-large lift servicing all floors, stairs down to the funeral services and up to all floors, and a ramped car park entrance. 1 First floor: the high hall allows the creation of a surrounding mezzanine level, with a viewing gallery and media room for visitors, exhibition and meeting space, and the first level of a substantial two-tier office area dedicated to women s projects. This floor connects to the first floor of the mosque and the first floor of the LMC. 2 Second floor: a new prayer hall for women, with rooms at the back for children, and a lobby area with two buggy parks, complemented by a large women s ablutions area. There is also a large meeting room, and the second tier of the women s project offices. 16 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2009/2010

17 3 Third floor: a multipurpose hall that can be used by pupils from the new school, as additional prayer space for women, and as a conference/ function facility. This floor also has a hospitality room. 4 Fourth floor: first of two education floors, with 5 classrooms, including ICT, reception and all necessary ancillary rooms. This has been designated for the new full-time girls secondary school, with some additional rooms available to expand existing primary provision. It is joined to the next floor by an internal staircase. 5 Fifth floor: second of education floors, with 5 classrooms, including a Science Laboratory, and ancillary rooms. This has been designated for secondary only. 6 Sixth floor: the main part of this floor will be a women s health and fitness centre, with a café and other services; this will help generate income for the centre whilst providing a much needed resource. The remainder of the floor will be for family services. 7 Seventh floor: Caretaker/guest accommodation and HVAC service for the building. Premises 17

18 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 is the year that we begin to celebrate this legacy through a year-long centenary of community activities and publications. It will start in September with a community fair to mark the end of Ramadan, and continue with a range of activities planned to mark the centenary, including the launch of a new webpage with information and resources about the history of Islam and Muslims in East London; a series of lectures dealing with the historical presence of Muslims in Europe, Britain and London and our future; a volume of community written biographies of the personalities that helped shape the situation of the Muslims in East London over the last century; and, a permanent exhibition in the ELM s new building. An academic contribution is due to be published in November 2010 through our partnership with Royal Holloway, University of London. An annotated version of the London Mosque Fund minute books with introduction and commentary in the Royal Historic Society s auspicious Camden Series will tell the story of the development of Muslim infrastructure in East London. Comments from the Public ISAP Comments: Since ISAP s intervention and support my child s attendance figures have significantly improved. I m extremely proud and feel really motivate to try harder as a parent. (Parent from Columbia Primary School) Faith in Health: I attended the Health Connex event at the London Muslim Centre. It was nice to see these events in the Mosque, good activities and great healthy food! Comment from member of the public 18 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2009/2010

19 Conclusion As the organisation prepares for the new development, we have seen some disruption to the general services and will see more over the next year. I will take this opportunity to compliment all the staff and volunteers for keeping the services operational, and to all our user groups for their patience and perseverance. May Allah reward us all with a magnificent facility that is fitting for our community. I am humbled yet again by our supporters commitment in donating to this House of Allah; last Ramadan we achieved a record in raising 1m in one night, and 2m in overall commitments. We still have a momentous challenge ahead of us in meeting our building costs, and I have high hopes that the community will come forward to help the Mosque meet its fundraising targets once again. The preparation for the Centenary Celebrations is well underway, and we have planned for a year-long celebration that involves all the sections of our community with a host of activities and events. I encourage you to get involved and volunteer your time for what promises to be a historic year for the East London Mosque Trust. May Allah be pleased with us and bless all our endeavours. Ayub Khan Secretary Management Committee 18 th July 2009 to 17 th July 2010 The Trustees of the East London Mosque Trust during the session, who act as the Management Committee, were: 01 Dr Abdul Bari (Chairman) 02 Muhammad Siddique (Treasurer) 03 Ayub Khan (Secretary) 04 Muhammad Habibur Rahman (Vice-Chairman) 05 Mohammad Abdul Malik (Assistant Treasurer) 06 Sirajul Islam 07 Musaddiq Ahmed 08 Abdur Rahman 09 Ahmed Abdel Mohsen Ahmed 10 Dr Abdul Hayee Murshad 11 Ismail Jama Salah 12 Mahera Ruby 13 Rahela Choudhury 14 Muhammad Rahmani 15 Tobaris Ali Conclusion Management Committee 19

20 Timeline A brief historical timeline of East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre: 1905 First Eid prayer held at London s Hyde Park by prominent British Muslims in treacherous weather conditions First meeting organised to raise funds to establish a Mosque and Islamic Centre in London. Jumu ah (Friday) Prayers begin at hired halls As more and more Muslim sailors settled in East London, Friday prayers and Eid Prayers moved to the area The Trustees purchase a house for use as a Mosque and hostel for Muslim sailors living in East London Three houses purchased for the Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre Official opening of the East London Mosque on Friday 1st August. The Jumu ah prayer was lead by His Excellency Sheikh Hafiz Wahba, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia 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 The official opening of the newly built East London Mosque by Sheikh Abdullah bin Subail, Imam of Masjidul Haram, Makkah on Friday 12th July As Muslim population in the area grew considerably the need for a larger Mosque and Islamic Centre was ever more imperative. East London Mosque raised 600,000 from the local community to buy the adjacent disused land to develop its extension programme The land was officially purchased and planning began in earnest to build the extension programme to house much needed community facilities ELM acquires full planning permission for the extension programme titled the London Muslim Centre from the Local Council. A very comprehensive fundraising programme begins which amounts to over 6m donated by the public Opening of the London Muslim Centre, 11th June 2004, where over 15,000 people congregated to pray with Sheikh Abdur Rahman Sudais, Imam of Masjidul Haram, Makkah. Establishment of secondary educational facilities and the London East Academy Establishment of employment and training projects Planning, Design and Consultation for the proposed new development of the East London Mosque Sheikh Abdur Rahman Sudais, Imam of Masjidul Haram, Makkah leads groundbreaking ceremony in August This marks the expansion of the Mosque and women s facilities Centenary Celebrations marking 100 years of the East London Mosque Trust and the opening of the new building. 20 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2009/2010

21 Sheikh Hafiz Wahba delivering the Khutbah Friday Prayers outside the Fieldgate St Mosque. Late 1970s Gathering at the laying of the foundation stone ceremony, 1982 Ceremony after the local Muslim community raised 600k Fundraising rally for the LMC Concept artwork for the Maryam Centre Timeline 21

22 Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2010 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE Restricted Unrestricted Total 2010 Total 2009 Incoming Resources Donations 51,069 1,061,362 1,112, ,768 Rent and Service Charges - 812, , ,781 Educational projects - 631, , ,363 ELM - LMC Projects 667, , ,970 Others Income - 84,505 84,505 73, ,676 2,589,474 3,308,150 2,728,963 Resoucres Expended ELM - LMC Projects: Direct Charitable 593, , ,830 Educational projects: Direct Charitable - 596, , ,822 Others Expenses: Direct Charitable 48, , , ,850 Management and Administration - 311, , ,703 Total Resources Expended 641,517 1,786,965 2,428,482 2,158,205 Net Income / Deficit for the Year 77, , , ,758 Fund movement: Unrestricted to restricted 17,146-17, Funds as at 1 April ,825,800 10,933,375 13,759,175 13,188,417 Funds as at 31 March ,920,105 11,718,738 14,638,843 13,759,175 BALANCE SHEET Total 2010 Total 2009 Fixed Assets Freehold properties at cost 4,839,107 2,851,729 London Muslim Centre 9,766,860 9,766,860 Long Leasehold 658, ,048 Fixture, fittings and equipments 312, ,679 15,576,672 13,629,316 Current Assets Stock of Radio receiver 994 1,566 Debtors & prepayments 481, ,245 Cash at bank & in hand 1,712,659 1,922,339 2,195,367 2,305,150 Creditors Amount falling due within one year 1,596,818 1,242,681 Net Current Assets/(Liabilities) 598,549 1,062,469 Total Assets Less Current Liabilities 16,175,221 14,691,785 Creditors Amount falling due > one year 1,536, ,610 Total Net Assets 14,638,843 13,759,175 Funds Total Fund Restricted 2,920,105 2,825,800 Unrestricted 11,718,738 10,933,375 14,638,843 13,759,175 Approved by the Board of Trustees on 17 July 2010 and signed on it s behalf by Mr Muhammad Siddique Trustee & Treasurer Dr M A Bari Trustee & Chairman 22 East London Mosque Trust Annual Report 2009/2010

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24 East London Mosque & London Muslim Centre Whitechapel Road, London E1 1JQ, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) Facsimile: +44 (0) Photography: Rehan Jamil Dan Kitwood (Getty Images). Produced by Medialink