Community Iftar Event - Breaking Fast @ St Andrew’s Church
- Mar 17
- 3 min read
North East Bangladeshi Award (NEBA) supporting this excellent community event. A number of Newcastle upon Tyne’s voluntary organisations came together to organise a special Community Iftar evening titled “Break-Fast @ St Andrew’s Church”, bringing the city’s diverse communities together to break fast, celebrate diversity, and strengthen community spirit during Ramadan.
This successful event, held on Tuesday 17th, welcomed approximately 200 attendees and was led by the North of England Refugee Service (NERS), further demonstrating its role as a leading organisation in community engagement and cohesion across the city. The event included around 7 people sleeping rough who attended to collect food packs, with a further 13 individuals accepting food packs, fruits, and water bottles from volunteers stationed at the Church’s entrance. The event was attended by representatives from Newcastle City Council and a wide range of partner organisations.
The idea for the event originated from a conversation between Rev Mike Hills and NERS Housing Manager Habib Rahman on homelessness prevention and food deprivation issue. St Andrew’s Church regularly receives food donations from local businesses but has faced challenges in encouraging people to access this support. The concept of hosting a Community Iftar during Ramadan was developed as a way to raise awareness of the Church’s open-door approach and promote its services to those experiencing food deprivation and homelessness.
Monjer Rashid of Diversity Hub, working alongside Habib Rahman, helped shape and deliver the event. Partner organisations including Biryani Vujon, North East Bangladeshi Awards (NEBA), Asylum Matters, and CultiIQ contributed to organising and funding the evening.
Invitations were extended widely across community groups, local authorities, and the city’s homeless and rough sleeping community. Volunteers ensured accessibility by offering hot vegan and vegetarian meal packs at the church entrance in a welcoming and non-judgemental manner. While some individuals chose to remain outside, three people joined the event inside, and 13 meal packs were distributed externally.
The event began with a welcome from Monjer Rashid, followed by contributions from Habib Rahman, Rev Mike Hills, Imam Reza Rahman, and civic dignitaries including the Sheriff and Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Jacqui Robinson.
Moshfique Chowdhury Rabby of the North East Bangladeshi Awards (NEBA) said: “This event has been a great success, bringing together people from across our communities in a spirit of unity and celebration. We are committed to building on this momentum and exploring more opportunities to organise community events that celebrate diversity and bring people together.”
Jenosan Yokenthiram, a refugee from Sri Lanka, delivered a powerful speech reflecting on his journey:
“I never imagined, when I was in Sri Lanka, that I would one day be here starting again as an asylum seeker. Those months of waiting were filled with uncertainty—you are safe, but your life is paused. What carried me through was the kindness of people here in Newcastle. I found not just safety, but compassion and a sense of belonging. Today, as I work and volunteer, I am proud to give something back. Events like this show how powerful community can be—when we share food, we share humanity, and we remind each other that we all belong.”
Monjer Rashid said: “ This event shows the true spirit of Newcastle—people from all backgrounds coming together, sharing food, and building understanding. Community cohesion starts with simple acts like this, and we are proud to create spaces where everyone feels welcome.”
Rev Mike Hills added: “ St Andrew’s Church is here for everyone. This event has helped open our doors wider and show that places of worship can be spaces of support, hospitality, and unity for the whole community.”
Habib Rahman commented: “ This initiative is about more than just breaking fast—it’s about breaking barriers. By bringing people together and connecting them with available support, we are strengthening our city’s sense of belonging and care for one another.”
Imam Reza Rahman reflected: “ Ramadan teaches us compassion, generosity, and unity. Seeing people of all faiths and backgrounds come together in a church to share food is a powerful reminder of our shared humanity.”
A participant attending the event reflected: “This is the best of Newcastle—people of all walks of life coming together to celebrate our diversity.”
The evening included a Ramadan-themed quiz, raffle prizes, and a shared meal, creating a warm and inclusive atmosphere for all.
NERS CEO Mohamed Nasreldin attended the event, engaging with partners and community members, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to addressing key issues such as food deprivation and homelessness while promoting unity and cultural celebration.
The event concluded with all attendees and volunteers working together to clean the church space. Latifa Miah commented: “ It is our collective responsibility to ensure our places of worship are kept clean at all times. It is my duty to help.”
A volunteer reflected on their experience: “ It was a great feeling to welcome members of the community into the church hall, and particularly to welcome the homeless community and offer them a food pack.”
Comments