Sheffield youths help with flood relief effort in Cumbria

They were among 60 members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association from the north of England who volunteered to help residents and businesses affected by flooding caused by Storm Desmond.

The teens also helped relief groups and services battling to clean up Cumbria.

Nadeem Ahmad, Regional Youth Leader for the AMYA said: “As Muslims we are duty bound to always help one another, especially when such disasters strike.

“Also I think it’s important that through our actions people can see the true nature of Islam.

“December is usually a busy month for us as we increase our charitable activities and have many homeless feeding sessions, care home visits and providing gifts for sick children during the Christmas period.”

Another group of volunteers from Sheffield also travelled to Cumbria to help with the flood relief effort.

Volunteer Shahid Ali said: “In 2007 we saw first hand in Sheffield what devastation floods can cause and how as a city we responded and how people felt. “Also in 2010, Pakistan, the country where our parents were born, suffered its worst floods in its history. At that time we as friends launched a food package appeal and sent over one thousand food boxes from Sheffield, over a two month period, which equated to approximately £25,000 of aid.

“In essence we wanted to show solidarity with the people of Cumbria. Individually there is very little we can do but just speaking to people and showing empathy and concern has touched many people and we were thanked many times over, even though it was not needed.”

Rizwan Ullah, who also helped, added: “Seeing possessions and furniture on the side of the road was heartbreaking.”