Leamington Muslim association's reponse to Covid-19 outbreak has included practical support and prayers for people nationwide

Leamington members launched a national campaign to help people in isolation.

The Campaign was entitled 'Just Because you are Self-isolating, Doesn't Mean You’re Alone' and was rolled out across the UK and has since been replicated in the USA and Canada.

More than 700 offers of assistance were given around the town and nationally the campaign has reached thousands.

The assistance offered included shopping, medicine delivery or just a reassuring chat.

Members also started a weekly foodbank collection at the Baitul Ehsan Ahmadiyyah Mosque in Riverside off Adelaide Road with more than 260kg of food having been given to the Warwick District Foodbank so far.

Cooked food, cakes and other supplies have also been provided to the LWS Night Shelter on a weekly basis by members.

The association has also raised more than £600 for the charity Helping Hands in its response to the Covid-19 pandemic and members are hoping to raise a further £1,000 for local charities by holding a Virtual Big Iftar on Saturday May 9.

To take part visit https://tinyurl.com/Covid-WarwickshireResponding to the need for PPE clothing and equipment in the UK, Leamington members have pledged £1,000 to the National Ahmadiyya Muslim Women’s Association for the production of PPE clothing.

In particular, there is a shortage of cloth to make scrubs, as such members are appealing to the community.

If anyone has 35 per cent cotton, 65 per cent poly mix in shades of blue, green or burgundy cloth and 1/4inch wife elastic they are asked to get in touch.

Furthermore Leamington member Dr Mussawer Ahmad, who volunteers as the Head of Research for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Research Association (AMRA), assisted by other local members, has begun a Nationwide group to investigate the production of PPE masks and visors, with an aim to have prototypes ready by the end of the week.

AMRA is also running 'hackathon' software development events to address other key challenges including mental health and isolation, and misinformation.

Despite working fulltime as an NHS disaster response and operations advisor, youth leader Irfan Hanif has also spent his time volunteering outside work to help set up a national helpline for the charity Humanity First to provide assistance to UK residents.

The Leamington branch also participated in the National Youth Association’s national campaign called #PrayForHeroes, which was a social media campaign to remember key workers in prayers.

Zaffar Bhatti, of the Leamington branch, said: "Our appreciation and admiration goes out to the NHS workers across the UK and the many NHS staff in our local association who are working to their maximum abilities in helping patients."