Sheffield mosque leader who helped set up vaccination clinic dies with Covid-19

Father-of-five Haji Ahmed Mahmood, who was chairman of the Jamia Mosque Ghausia in Firth Park, was part of the team who set up the first clinic in a Yorkshire mosque – but was hospitalised with the virus two days before it was held on January 31.

He died on March 2 and was buried the following day.

Kashmir Malik, a trustee at Jamia Ghausia, said: “He was a very, very nice person, a really humble, down-to-earth individual and always smiling.

”My kids are in tears, they are devastated. They referred to him as an uncle. He treated all children as his own, he would go out of his way and treated them in such a way that was unbelievable.”

Haji was 57 and lived in Sheffield all his life.

Kashmir, 41, said: “He had the biggest role at the mosque because he was doing the day-to-day running from morning to evening, he was hands-on. It was unbelievable, the time and effort he would spend.

"We’re devastated. We had such a good working team and it suddenly came as a shock. He provided safety for others not knowing his time was coming.”

A second pop-up clinic at the mosque was held in Haji’s memory on Saturday and attended by around 130 people, up from around 85 in January.

Kashmir added: “A lot of the public say they feel a lot safer having the vaccine at the mosque.

"The mosque is one of the most important places in our religion so they feel a lot safer here.”

Firth Park’s Primary Care Network (PCN) has the highest number of BAME patients in Sheffield and has been one of the areas worse hit by Covid-19.

This has not been helped by the spread of misinformation, Kashmir said.

He continued: "It’s been very, very difficult. Before you know it conspiracy theories are on social media and they spread immediately.

“It has been a massive fight for us all.”

Among those vaccinated on Saturday was the headteacher of Fir Vale School, Rachel Smith, and head of year 11, Mohammed Ziarat.

They got the jab to prove its safety after Rachel overheard a group of Roma pupils discussing conspiracy theories about its effects.

Kashmir said: “Rachel said it would be nice if she could come and have her vaccine in the community and send a video of it out via the school to say: ‘I’ve had it and it’s safe’.”

Discussions are ongoing to hold further pop-up surgeries at the Jamia Ghausia centre to encourage uptake among ethnic minority groups and other residents in the area.

Volunteers on Saturday were treated to food brought to them by Haji’s nephew. One disabled patient was also vaccinated inside his car to make the process more comfortable.

Kashmir added: "There’s always been, unfortunately, negative press with the religion of Islam flying about.

“But, over the last year we have worked tirelessly day in, day out to save all these communities.”