Keighley youngsters dig in to help the community: PHOTO GALLERY
MEMBERS of Keighley Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association braved cold conditions to help plant more than 150 trees.
They joined volunteers from Bradford Environmental Action Trust to carry out the planting – of saplings including oak, birch and rowan – near Low Wood Scout Centre at Riddlesden.
Dr Adeem Rubani, the Keighley association’s youth leader, said: “We want to serve humankind at every given opportunity and that’s why we’ve done our bit to plant a large number of trees.
“We find inspiration in the teachings of Islam which promotes peace, tolerance and respect for the environment.
“We’d like to thank Bradford Environmental Action Trust for organising the session and we hope we can continue with many more years of doing our small part to improve the environment and beautifying the community we live in.”
Among the youngsters who took part was Elias Rahman, 13.
Elias said he and his friends enjoyed the day and he urged others to join the group.
He added: “From as young as seven, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association has instilled in me the importance of serving the community – whether that be by our charity collections, selling poppies, visiting the sick and elderly or planting trees.”
Members’ efforts earned high praise on social media.
Keighley MP Robbie Moore congratulated the youngsters and described their work as “truly awesome”.
And tribute was paid by former town councillor Ian Dermondy, who recalled a previous tree planting session he and the association had been involved with.
The youth group is an auxiliary body of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association.
In Keighley, association members begin the year with a street clean-up and end it with visits to Airedale Hospital and nursing homes to pass on festive greetings.
Throughout the year, the association holds collections for charities including Sue Ryder, Barnardo’s, the British Red Cross and Macmillan.
“The association is always on hand to assist the community in any way which is required of them,” added Dr Rubani.
The organisation can be followed on twitter, @MKAKeighley.
Read original post HERE.
