The current COVID-19 crisis has seen a huge amount of great work undertaken to raise funds for charities and help individuals in need during these unprecedented times that are affecting people the world over.
Captain Tom Moore’s incredible charity walk has quite rightly monopolised the national headlines in recent weeks, having currently raised over 26 million pounds for the NHS, whilst our very own charity partner, the Felix Project, have tripled the amount of meals they’re delivering every week to the most vulnerable within our capital – delivering over half a million meals last week alone!
It’s the work done by individuals across the country however that doesn’t necessarily get the credit that those efforts deserve. One such person, who has challenged himself to make a difference, is Shakeel Ahmed, a member of Middlesex Cricket’s Participation Team.
Shakeel, one of Middlesex Cricket’s Participation Officers, moved to the UK from Bangladesh when aged just ten years old, from a small village called Beanibazar, in the Sylhet region of the country. Shakeel wanted to make a difference throughout the current crisis and set about raising some much-needed funds to provide basic food essentials for poor families back in his home village in Bangladesh.
Shakeel’s challenge, which he started on 4th April and which he hoped would raise £1,500, was to run 3km each day, despite fasting, to amass a total mileage of 90km throughout Ramadhan.
His efforts, so far, have already raised over £1,800, which is enough to provide food essentials, like rice, dates, lentils, chickpeas, salt, milk and spices to over thirty families for well over a month.
Our congratulations go to Shakeel for his efforts in helping this worthy cause and for making such a difference to so many families in need of help.
Shakeel himself commented:
"Thanks to everyone for the support as this will make a huge difference to many people's lives. With the lockdown effecting everyone around the world, the poor are most affected, especially in villages where the government can't always reach out to.
“Communities must therefore take the initiative themselves to help each other out and I am pleased and proud that I have been able to play a small part in helping the village I grew up in. I am so grateful to everyone who has supported me.”
