Eid Festival in Bedford set to unite community this weekend

More than 7,000 people of all faiths and none across Bedford will unite together in Addison Howard Park this Sunday 16 June 2019 to enjoy this year’s Bedford Eid Festival.

The Eid celebration event, which is now in its fifth year, is a family-friendly occasion aimed at bringing together the people of Bedford and nearby regions to celebrate the ending of the holy month of Ramadan.

This year’s event is expected to attract more than 7,000 visitors who can look forward to a family friendly funfair. It will include a children’s play area, bouncy castles, sumo suit wrestling, a climbing wall and much more, keeping families entertained throughout the day. The festival will also feature a variety of culturally themed food, drinks, clothes, gifts, arts, crafts as well as traditional perfumes.

The event will also seek to raise awareness of the lifesaving work of the UK’s leading Muslim faith-based charity, Islamic Relief UK, which was recently awarded £2 million in match funding by the UK Government in order to help the people of Ethiopia withstand the deadly effects of drought.

Foredul Islam, Regional Community Fundraising Manager for London and South at Islamic Relief UK, said:

“Bedford Eid Festival is the largest of its kind in Bedfordshire. The event unites the entire Muslim community of Bedford and brings together the wider community, including people of other faiths and none. It’s an opportunity for us to say thank you to our donors and supporters for helping us feed over a million people across 34 countries during the month of Ramadan alone. We also look forward to engaging with the wider public to highlight the lifesaving work Islamic Relief has been able to do over the past year, thanks to the community’s generous support.”

Zan Sattar, from Eid in Bedford, said:

“Eid in Bedford is proud to bring the Eid Festival for its fifth year in Bedfordshire. The event is a celebration of Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan following a month of fasting from dawn to dusk. It’s one of the biggest community events in Bedford and brings together different community groups, Mosques and the wider public to a collective celebration in Bedford. This year we are looking forward to an even bigger celebration with happy faces of families and children, from all around Bedfordshire, spending time with each other in an outdoor setting and getting a glimpse of what Eid is about. Most importantly this festival is about uniting with our Christian and Jewish neighbours as well as people of other faiths and none to share the happiness of one of our biggest celebrations in the Islamic calendar.”

Mohammad Yasin, MP for Bedford, said:

“I’m pleased to lend my support to this event. For the last 5 years, the ‘Eid in Bedford’ team have been bringing friends, neighbours and family from across Bedford and Kempston together to celebrate – I am sure the day will be a great success.”

During the Eid Festival, Islamic Relief UK will be taking collections for Yemen to help families and communities as the crisis worsens.

ENDS

For more information, photos, interviews and filming possibilities, please contact:

• Sultan Ahmed at [email protected]k or call 020 7593 3217
• Emily Wight at [email protected] or call 020 7593 3225

Notes for Editors

• The Bedford Eid Festival is Addison Howard Park, Bedford Road, Kempston, Bedford MK42 8PN, and runs from 12pm to 7pm on Sunday, 16 June. Entry is free.
• Eid al-Fitris an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
• Islamic Relief is an international aid and development charity, working with local communities – regardless of race, religion or gender. In its 34-year history, Islamic Relief has helped more than 117m people across the world.
• The Yemen Emergency Appeal is on the Islamic Relief website at https://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/yemen-emergency-appeal/

Islamic Relief is an independent humanitarian and development organisation, which has been transforming and saving lives across the globe since 1984. We are one of the world’s largest faith-inspired charities, with more than 100 offices delivering programmes to benefit vulnerable people in over 40 countries worldwide. As well as responding to global disasters and emergencies, we also carry out long-term development work with people and communities, regardless of their race, religion or gender.

Set up in Birmingham in 1984 by a group of volunteers, we have assisted over 117 million people all over the world. We’re saving lives and empowering people to lift themselves out of poverty in over 40 countries – from Bangladesh to Bosnia, Pakistan to Palestine, Kenya to Kosovo.  Islamic Relief is on the ground in some of the world’s most dangerous and difficult places – including Syria and Yemen – strengthening the most marginalised communities to withstand conflict and natural disasters and to build a brighter future. We also support vulnerable people in the UK in partnership with local charities and organisations.