Community groups take gifts to local hospitals
As Muslims around the world partook in their Eid celebrations last weekend, some extra gifts were wrapped up across West Yorkshire as the giving spirit was spread across different faiths.
Firstly, in Bradford, youngsters from W-Childcare visited the Bradford Royal Infirmary to deliver dozens of toys to children of all ages who are currently being treated at the hospital.
From babies to teens, presents were donated for all young patients who received their gifts from a trio of youngsters from the afterschool club.
Zainab Qureshi, Amina Qureshi and Raza-ul-Mustafa were joined by the club’s director, Nazim Ali and manager, Michaela Yildiz, for the handover.
It is the second consecutive year that the project has taken place and Nazim explained why the group were so eager to continue the tradition.
“With Eid being a special occasion in which families spend quality time together and children receive gifts; children from W-Childcare recognised that this is not the case for everybody including those who are in hospital,” he explained.
“The gift distributions were a gesture of kindness and were arranged to show patients that members of the wider community do care about them and ultimately uplift their spirits.
“The Eid gifts were for all children in the ward irrespective of faith and that is something we are very proud of.”
Nazim adds that he has experienced what it is like to spend a lot of time in hospital at a young age after suffering from tuberculosis as a child.
“I know too well how, at times, you feel the loneliness and miss being at home with your family and playing with your friends,” he added.
“Just to see the children smile on receiving their gifts was a priceless feeling and brought back so many memories.
“This is the very reason every Eid we organise the Eid gifts initiative…it has certainly made our Eid.”
Meanwhile, at the Leeds General Infirmary, girls from the Kumon Y’all community group delivered their arm-loads of presents for young children on the oncology wards.
Once again, their now annual project aims to care for members of all and no faiths who are being treated in hospital during the Islamic celebrations.
After shopping for the gifts and wrapping them up, they were delivered last week.
Kumon Y’All girls youth group leader, Siddeequah Azmi said: “Eid is a day of celebration and through this project we wanted to bring a smile to the faces of these brave children, regardless of their religion, race or background.”
She added: “Having spent almost two weeks in communication with the LGI to set up the visit, I asked the girls at the hospital, ‘Are you happy now that you’ve visited the ward?’, to which one girl, Farhaanah, solemnly replied, ‘No, we’re pleased we did it, but it’s so sad’.”
The ‘humbling’ experience for the girls was rounded off with a brief discussion with LGI staff member, Adele, who summarised what it meant to the patients for such initiatives to exist.
“It can get really hard for the children and their families,” she said. “You’ve seen a two-year-old today, but some of the children we have here were diagnosed with cancer from birth.
“It’s days like these, when we have visitors such as yourselves, that really make such a huge difference to their stay.”
