Published Monday 25 April 2022 at 10:48
BwD Chief Executive joins council staff fasting today to support an annual community cohesion campaign.
Teams of staff from across Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council are set to observe a day of fasting, in a show of solidarity with their Muslim colleagues during Ramadan.
Chief Executive Denise Park is taking part in the challenge today (Monday, April 25) to show solidarity to Muslim and non Muslim colleagues fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.
The annual community cohesion campaign is led by One Voice Blackburn, called I’m Not A Muslim But I’ll Fast For One Day.
Now in its eighth year, the campaign invites non-Muslims to take part in a one day fast during Ramadan.
Last year hundreds of people took part, and already this year many have signed up to fast.
Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Chief Executive Denise Park is taking part today alongside teams across the council.
Denise said:
I wanted to do this to help my own understanding of the significance of this time of year for Muslim colleagues and friends.
Opportunities such as this can help us to understand more about the beliefs and practices of people from different cultural and religious backgrounds to our own, to help our community to be more accepting, tolerant and welcoming – and ultimately stronger.
Denise added:
Whilst it’s only for one day, It’s going to be a personal challenge having never done anything like this before.
I think it’s a fantastic show of solidarity to our fasting colleagues and to our residents that so many people are taking part this year.
Zaffer Khan, Chief Executive, One Voice Blackburn, said:
We are now in the eighth year of the project and it is a privilege to have so many people from across the borough joining the fast to show solidarity with their Muslim colleagues.
It truly shows the community spirit and respect between faiths and cultures in our unique town. The project has grown each year and has won a number of awards. This has only been possible thanks to the understanding and integration of our non-Muslim friends in Blackburn with Darwen.
Muslim colleagues have advised those taking part to avoid salty foods the night before fasting, to eat hydrating fruit such as watermelon and to try and take a nap when possible as you naturally become more tired and lethargic than usual getting up at sunrise and not having anything to eat or drink.
Ramadan is the holy Islamic month where Muslims forgo food and water between sunrise and sunset. This year Ramadan in the UK consisted of a 17 and a half hour fast approximately.
The I’m Not A Muslim But I’ll Fast For One Day campaign was commended in the Inclusive Company’s Awards Marketing section in 2018.
Anyone who’d like to get involved in the campaign during Ramadan can get in touch with One Voice Blackburn by emailing: info@1vblackburn.org