The largest ever gathering of Welwyn Hatfi eld’s Muslim community applauded Welwyn Hatfi eld’s Mayor Carl Storer when he promised to support their dream of building a Islamic Community centre in Welwyn Hatfi eld. The event held in January marked the launch of an appeal to raise £300,000 towards the opening of an Islamic community centre in Welwyn Hatfi eld.

The Conservative Mayor was joined by a Labour MP Sadiq Khan and Liberal Democrat councillor Tony Skottove in supporting the local muslim community and their ambitions.

Another notable fi gure was Dr Azeez Pasha, secretary general for the Union of Muslim Organisations of UK and Eire. He had last visited Welwyn Hatfi eld 17 years ago, and declared that the nomadic life of the community – working from hired halls and rented rooms – needed to come to an end.

People listened as Carl Storer told them that one of the greatest pleasures he had received from being Mayor was visiting the many and varied faith groups across Welwyn Hatfi eld. Before becoming mayor he had not realised Welwyn Hatfi eld had such a large and active muslim community. He reminded the Audience that Welwyn Garden had a long history of welcoming people from diverse nationalities and faiths and that a key value of those who built the town was the creation of a community where people of diverse races and creeds could co-exist happily. He said that he hoped they succeeded in building their community centre and he supported their ambition, they were, he said entitled to their own place of worship like the many other faiths in the town.

The audience of local residents and dignitaries where treated to a play performed by the members of Welwyn Hatfi eld’s Muslim Sunday School. The Sunday School was established in November and is now attended by 40 children a week. Labour MP Sadiq Khan said:

“It is fantastic to see so many young British Muslims learning about Islam in an enjoyable and enthusing way.”

Labour MP Sadiq Khan reminded the audience that these were diffi cult times for the Muslim community. He welcomed the core values of the society, to promote inter-faith understanding and improve relationships between Islamic and non Islamic faiths and wished the society well in their ambition to create a community centre.