What better way for Middlesex in The Community to kick off South Asian Heritage month by joining members of the Muslim community at Hounslow Jamia Masjid last weekend to celebrate the Mosque Eid al-Adha Mela, with showcase of cricket activities.
With over 1,000 visitors attending the Eid Mela in the Mosque car park, it was yet another great platform for the Club to connect with the local Hounslow community through our fun-filled cricket activation zone, with all cricket activities, for children and adults alike delivered by the Middlesex in the Community team.
As well as the activation zone, there was a Middlesex matchday ticket giveaway, with nine lucky winners winning up to five tickets to Middlesex v Somerset in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup match at Lord’s on Sunday 11th August – for what will be a first visit to the Home of Cricket for many of them.
Alongside the cricket activities, there were a number of other family activities taking place on the day of celebration, including a mini fun fare for the adrenaline thrill seekers, traditional henna hand painting, numerous stalls to purchase clothes and gifts from, and a wonderful spread of mouth-watering home cooked biryanis and other traditional South Asian foods on offer for guests to tuck into.
The cricket activation zone proved very popular with both children and adults alike, taking part in fiercely competitive games of one-hand one-bounce.
Middlesex in the Community Assistant Partnership Manager Callum Millar, commenting on the successful event said:
“It was great to be back at Hounslow Jamia Masjid’s Eid Mela for the second year in a row. The event is highly attended by the local community and is great opportunity for us to give those community members a chance to play cricket in an environment that they know, and are comfortable in.
“It was great to see people having fun, in the activation zone and giving away tickets to a Middlesex match at Lord’s was a great way to drum up engagement with us and has allowed many people a chance to watch a game at the Home of Cricket for the first time.”
Hounslow Jamia Masjid General Secretary, Shafiq Rehman, added:
“Hounslow Jamia Masjid would like to thank Middlesex in the Community and all the coaches who came out to the Eid Mela event to deliver a fun cricket session for the children. This is truly a great initiative to connect cricket with our community”.
Commenting on the successful event, Middlesex in the Community Partnership Manager for Diverse Communities, Mash Mehter, said:
“Hounslow Jamia Masjid is the heart of the local Muslim community, and we were thrilled to be asked to join in this incredible community celebration.
“It was great to see so many people from all ages taking part in the cricket activation zone, and it was wonderful to see so many young children smiling and laughing as they played the game.
“It’s seeing children having a great time that makes our roles in MiTC so rewarding when we’re out and about in the communities around Middlesex delivering our sessions, and to learn that some of the children taking part at the weekend were experiencing cricket for the very first time made it even more so. You leave at the end of the day feeling like you’ve done a good day’s work and that you’ve really helped to make a difference.
“Our thanks go to all at the Hounslow Jamia Masjid for allowing us to be with them on their special day and for allowing us to deliver our cricket session at the Mosque.
“Whilst we may see the Mosque as a ‘non-traditional’ cricket setting, for local Muslims it is right at the heart of their community, so for us to be able to deliver our sessions there, where members of the local community feel comfortable and at ease, really makes a huge difference.
“We look forward to continuing to work with community groups and places of worship, like the Hounslow Mosque, as we continue to reach out to all communities within Middlesex in our quest to make cricket a game for all.
“It’s been a real pleasure working with the Hounslow Jamia Masjid since they became one of our Core City Delivery Hubs and we look forward to many more successful cricket sessions with them and members of their community in the years to come.”
