Michael Lavalette, Preston - 19/02/2009
Burnley 3 released without charge - We need to demand answers! We need an end to the ‘PVE agenda’

The Preston van on it's way to London - 13/02/2009

Preston Shoe-box appeal update - 08/02/2009

Asalam Alaykum,

Hope u r all well and in the best of emaan iA!

Firstly, i would just like to thank you all for embracing the appeal and making it what it is - jazakumAllah khairun for ur passion and enthusiasm! So far, the feedback i have been receiving from parents, children, txt msgs and facebook contacts has been so positive, alhamdulilah! i was in asda last night and bumped into 3 people all buying goods for their shoeboxes - subhanAllah! i have also emailed the forms i designed to people in manchester, bradford and east london so that they too can run the appeal in their own areas so iA many many more children will be on the receiving end of a present!

i was speaking to an aid worker for Islamic Relief called Hatem Shurrab (IR have been in Gaza since 1994 and been delivering aid throughout the war - br. hatem has an ongoing diary up on the bbc news website which u may have already been reading, if not you may want to read it??) - and one of the projects they are going to have to run is psychosocial work, teaching children how to play because sadly they are so traumatised that they dont even know how to play anymore- subhanAllah! something that should be inherently natural to a child! :'( so, i hope and pray that by Allah swt's mercy that we will be able to help alleviate some of the pain and sadness from these small hearts iA!

jazakumAllah khair to UCLAN MFC and the ISoc sisters especially for being a collection point and for their incredibly generous donation of 85 boxes!! i have already begun to inspect these and honestly, they are all really amazing and im certain that the child receiving each one will be able to feel the love with which they have been prepared iA!

jazakumAllah khair also to Br. Mukhtar and all the people who took part in the collection that has raised money to help us buy a transit van to take the shoeboxes to Gaza and it will be left behind for the people to use iA.. a friend is donating spare tyres and we will also get hold of a spare fan belt etc so that the van's usage in Gaza has added longevity iA!

From 6pm tmrw to tuesday afternoon, i have some cars and vans that will be coming out to visit each masjid or islamic school to collect the boxes and money to take them to PMGS where a team of us will inspect the boxes and re-wrap if necessary - i have begun to gather a surplus of items to fill boxes with that need items removing becos of suitability and lots of gift wrap paper, if you have any left over pls let me know iA

Here is my current list of pick up points, please do let me know if you are not on here or if you have a preference of what time/day you want boxes to be picked up:

Preston Muslim Girls School, Deepdale, Preston >>> not due for a 'pick up' as is centralised collection point on monday/tuesday
UCLAN Multi Faith centre (opposite Uni Lib), Preston >>> if Br. Seedat could just let me know if there are other boxes that need to be collected)
Al Asr School, St Silas Road, Blackburn >>> will be picked up on tuesday morning at 11am iA as previously requested!
Imam Zakkariyya School, Preston (9am-2pm only) >>> will be picked up on tuesday morning at 10am iA due to school opening times iA
Jamiea Masjid, Frenchwood, Preston >>> will be picked up on monday night at 7pm iA as previously requested!
Apollo Mosque, Deepdale, Preston
Masjide Saliheen (railway), Broadgate, Preston
Quba Masjid, Fishwick, Preston
Quwwatul Islam Mosque, Preston
Madina Mosque, Fishwick, Preston
Masjide Falah, Deepdale, Preston
Al-Ansaar, Garstang Rd, Preston

Finally, just to say that as of yet i have no idea how many boxes have been donated and so i dont know how much money has been raised from these as of yet - tomorrow is when i will begin to collect in boxes and im sure by tuesday night i will be able to update you on this matter.. i am creating a spreadsheet however to outline what money has been raised, by whom or how and what it is being used for and i will email this to everyone iA!

Further email updates will be sent out shortly iA! if there is anythin i've missed out or needs clarifying, then do let me know iA!

jazakumAllah khairun again, only Allah swt can truly repay you all for your efforts, may He reward you in abundance, Ameen!

masalaama,
sadia

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