British ‘Ramadan runners’ raise funds for food poverty charity
April 15, 2022, 4:11 am

British ‘Ramadan runners’ raise funds for food poverty charity

Half of Muslims living in the UK will struggle to feed their families during Ramadan (File photo: Pixabay)

The Arab News reported, Buckinghamshire’s “Ramadan runners” have so far raised more than £1,800 ($2,360) for a food poverty charity by cycling, running, or walking 5 km everyday during Ramadan.

Otherwise known as The Chiltern Champions, the group are raising the funds for The Big Community takeaway, which offers those in need a two-course meal in the county, with 2022 marking the second year they have participated in the event.

Group spokesperson, Javad Malik, told the BBC: “We’re doing it partly because during Ramadan we typically challenge ourselves spiritually.

“We do extra charitable deeds. It’s what we call the month of mercy, we hope God shows us mercy and as a result we show other people mercy.”

The Chiltern Champions are raising funds for The Big Community takeaway which offers those in need a two-course meal in the county (File photo: Arab News via Javad Malik)

Malik added that the runners were exhausted but remained motivated by their “fantastic cause.”

According to Malik, there has been a notable increase in the number of people claiming food parcels in the area he is from, Chesham, and it was this that inspired the group.

Muslims will observe holy month of Ramadan twice in the year 2030

Contending that running 5 km every day of Ramadan “would be asking a lot,” he noted that he and a friend, who together started the challenge last year, both ran their fastest 10 km during Ramadan.

He continued: “Something amazing does happen when you’re fasting, (but) we’re just taking it easy and not going mad."

Charities warn half of British Muslims will struggle to feed their families during Ramadan

“The timings of all of this are really important. We run about an hour before Iftar, when we can actually break our fast and eat but not being able to take liquids for 14 hours before is a bit much.”

Source: arabnews

WHO: Number of confirmed COVID cases worldwide surpasses 500 million Syrian immigrant Zack Tahhan helps capture New York subway shooting suspect

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”