Response to recent gun attack in Germany
filed in Uncategorized on 10 Oct 2019
Hounslow Friends of Faith wish to express sincere sympathy with those affected by the gun attack in Halle in Germany on 9th October. HFOF seeks to promote community harmony and celebrate diversity and will continue to condemn violence directed towards any particular faith or race.
AGM 2019
filed in AGM, Event on 16 Sep 2019
The well attended AGM was held on 24th July in the splendid environment of the top floor of Hounslow House, the new Civic Centre. The keynote speaker was Maqsood Ahmed OBE, Director of UK Projects for the charity Muslim Hands. His theme was The Importance of Interfaith Dialogue in Contemporary Societies. He expressed the view that dialogue is about building bridges through ta’rafu – which means knowing each other. His vision is to work for the good of humanity not retaliating to hostility or negative views. He described the Muslim Hands Project in Hounslow called Open Kitchen. This restaurant on the Great West Road is open daily with nourishing free meals for those in need.
Walk of Peace and Friendship 2019
filed in Community, Event on 16 Sep 2019
This year’s HFOF Walk of Peace and Friendship was held on Saturday 22nd June with more than forty walkers taking part. The walk visited the World Zoroastrian Centre in Hanworth Road Feltham, the Gurdwara Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak in Martindale Road Hounslow, the Islamic Integration Community Centre, Staines Road Hounslow and St Mary’s Church in Bedfont. The Mayor of Hounslow Cllr Tony Louki attended and as always the walkers were given a warm welcome at every venue.
Farewell to Bessie
filed in Event on 09 Aug 2018
Annual Report 2017-18
filed in Newsletters on 09 Aug 2018
July 2018 Newsletter
filed in Newsletters on 09 Aug 2018
HFOF Women’s Group Outing
filed in Event on 05 Aug 2018
Empire of the Sikhs
I am pleased to circulate the Group’s outing details to see an exquisite exhibition at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG. Admission is free. Nearest Tube Station Russell Square (Piccadilly Line) on Saturday 11th August. We will meet at Osterley Tube Station at 10.00am or you can join us at the venue at 11.00am. A guided tour has been arranged so please wait for the group.
Smiles and Friendship in Feltham
filed in Event on 25 Jun 2018
There were smiles and welcome at every venue for the 2018 Walk of Peace and Friendship on 24th June. Our annual event took in four places of worship in the Feltham area with, in the words of local MP Seema Malhotra, once again the message of the value of walking in each other’s footsteps and through each other’s doors. Mayor of Hounslow Councillor Samia Chaudhary also attended and welcomed the work of Hounslow Friends of Faith.
The Walk began at the Athula Dassana Buddhist Centre in Hanworth where monk Bhikkhu Assaji explained Buddhist philosophy and practice before the community members provided lunch. After crossing Hanworth Park the second visit was to the Riverside Vineyard Church in Browells Lane where Senior Pastor Andy Chapman explained the work of the church in meeting the needs of the area. He described their newly completed community centre and the Storehouse Project which provides food and equipment to families in difficulties.
There was a warm welcome at HIRA (the Hounslow Islamic Relief Association). Imam Sheikh Mohammed Sayed gave a short talk on Ramadan before a tour of the centre. He joined us for the final visit to St Lawrence’s Catholic Church on The Green. Deacon Colin Macken responded to a range of questions about the church. The wealth of the church he said is its people.
Thank you to everyone for an excellent day. And the sun shone!
Faiths celebrate their Commonwealth Heritage
filed in Community, Event on 29 Mar 2018
A ‘Big Lunch’ to celebrate the Commonwealth heritage of many residents of the borough is being held on 19th April. Hounslow Jamia Masjid in Wellington Road South is taking the initiative to mark the meeting of the Heads of Government of Commonwealth countries taking place in London in April 2018. Events have already taken place and Hounslow Friends of Faith was represented at a reception to mark the occasion which took place at Buckingham Palace in February. Members also attended a reception in March at Hounslow Civic Centre at the invitation of the Mayor of Hounslow, Councillor Sue Sampson.
General Secretary of the mosque Shafiq Rehman sees the lunch as a great community event, once again celebrating the diversity of Hounslow borough. He hopes to have people present at the lunch from as many of the 53 countries of the Commonwealth as possible, many of whom will be of different faiths. Get in touch with Hounslow Friends of Faith if you would like to attend or know someone else who would like an invitation.
Holocaust Memorial Day Ceremony 2018
filed in Event on 30 Jan 2018
Hounslow Friends of Faith members joined students and other guests at the Green School for Girls to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on 29th January. In the presence of the Mayor of Hounslow, Councillor Sue Sampson and other civic officials, Michael Brown shared the story of his life in Germany before the Second World War, his escape to the UK on the second last Kindertransport in August 1939 and his time with foster parents in Liverpool.
The theme for 2018 was the Power of Words and Michael described how words can be used to denigrate and discriminate against groups of people with horrific consequences.
Rev Richard Frank, Anglican Area Dean, suggested that by being at this event, those present were able to show through their living and their speaking their determination that such an event as the Holocaust could never happen again.
Leader of Hounslow Council, Steve Curran, referred to the diversity of the borough. He asked students whose families were newer residents to find out what their relatives had felt like when they first arrived. Anti-semitism and hate crime are only just below the surface and there have been more recent genocides such as Muslims at Srebrenica in Bosnia. Always challenge any inappropriate remark, he stated.
Councillor Curran mentioned that Hounslow Council have taken some unaccompanied refugee children from Calais and families from Syria. These latter are being supported by members of the community. (Note: this is through Refugees Welcome Hounslow, a group sponsored by Hounslow Friends of Faith. Get in touch if you would like to know more.)
There was moving display of art work by sixth form students on the topic in the school hall. Photos of some of these and of the event are in our Gallery. Photo credits Bessie White and LB Hounslow.
