Faith in Charity - Charity regulator reaches out to Muslim charities in Bradford (Yorkshire & Humber)

Press Release

15 May 2009

Charity regulator reaches out to Muslim Charities in Bradford.

Over 120 representatives from Bradford-based Muslim charities met the Charity Commission's Faith and Social Cohesion Unit (FSCU) at an event held on Wednesday to launch its work in the area.
Commission staff explained the work of the FSCU and provided advice on a number of key areas including: the implications of the Charities Act 2006 for faith-based charities, in particular Muslim charities and mosques, and the benefits of charity registration and the process involved. Expert Commission staff were on hand to answer delegates' questions.

The Charity Commission has established the FSCU to provide support and expert advice to faith-based charities, and this event launched the team's work in Yorkshire and The Humber. At the event, delegates heard from representatives of local bodies; Adeeba Malik MBE, Deputy Chief Executive of QED-UK, a leading national development charity based in Bradford, and Sher Azam, President of Bradford Council for Mosques. Councillor Howard Middleton, Lord Mayor of Bradford welcomed the FSCU to Bradford to launch its work there.

Delegates also heard from Dame Suzi Leather, Chair of the Charity Commission, Masood Alam Khan, the recently-elected Secretary of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB), Jane Everton, Deputy Director at the Department for Communities and Local Government, and Ghulam Rasool, Head of the Faith and Social Cohesion Unit.
Sher Azam, President, Bradford Council for Mosques, said:
"I am delighted to see that the Charity Commission, and in particular its Faith and Social Cohesion Unit, is taking a keen interest in the work of Muslim organisations. This will lead to a greater understanding of the work that Muslim organisations are doing."

Ghulam Rasool, Head of the Faith and Social Cohesion Unit said:

"Faith-based charities are a substantial part of the voluntary sector, and they make a valuable contribution to communities across England and Wales. I'm delighted to be leading the team as we work hand in hand with the Muslim community to strengthen the governance of existing charities and encourage more organisations to register with us. Muslim charities enjoy good levels of public trust and confidence within their communities, and we hope to help organisations build on this, working with them to promote their contribution to the wider community."

Wednesday's event, held at Bradford's Cedar Court Hotel, was the fourth of the Faith and Social Cohesion Unit's regional launch events; the Unit's work has been rolled out in the Midlands, London and the North West over the last year.

For further information about the FSCU, or general information about how to register a charity, go to www.charitycommission.gov.uk.