Sponsored by
Muslim women getting together to enjoy friendship and fun
Peterborough has a large, vibrant Muslim population, and within that are two groups hoping to provide friendship, learning and fun to women, both in their own community and beyond.
Peterborough has a large, vibrant Muslim population, and within that are two groups hoping to provide friendship, learning and fun to women, both in their own community and beyond. Hannah Gray finds out more.
Shamim set up group to get out of the house
A NEED to get out and socialise while her husband was working away was the inspiration that led Shamim Hirji to set up the Husseini Women's Group.
Shamim set up the group about 20 years ago.
"Personally, I like keep-fit classes and outings," she said. "My husband was in the Navy for 23 years, and I needed an outlet and somewhere to come out in the evening with the children. When I first started, I was bringing my kids in. I didn't have family around and this was the only way I could socialise."
The group is independent, but is allowed to hold its classes and meetings at the Husseini Islamic Centre, in Burton Street.
Today, it runs a range of activities, including yoga, pilates, dress-making, and cookery. In total, across all the classes, there are about 80 members.
Early activities organised by the group included a Gujarati course, swimming sessions and cookery classes.
"We used to use this centre five days a week," Shamim said. "We had Arabic classes, dress making classes, and I was everything, treasurer, chairwoman and secretary, at the time."
As the times have changed, the kind of activities run by the group has evolved.
The keep-fit classes have made way for yoga, to help people take some time away from their frantic lives.
"We found that people are under a lot of stress, and that they had back problems, so we started yoga and that was much more popular than keep-fit," she said.
The switch to yoga and pilates classes has proved a good move, as the sessions are very popular, and not just with members of the mosque.
One yoga class has 20 members, 12 of which are non-Muslim.
Richmal Daynes (67) has been going to yoga with Husseini Women's Group for six months.
She has done yoga for 20 years and it was her friend Zehra Lakha, who is a member of the women's group, who told her about the classes.
Through the classes, Richmal has made lots of friends, and is thoroughly enjoying what she regards as good quality yoga tuition.
"It's a very good class," she said. "I did it with a very good instructor for many years, and she moved and I've had different instructors and I reckon Jane, my teacher here, is one of the best I've had, and it only costs 1 for an hour, which is amazing."
Non-Muslim members get to experience the warmth of the community and are fully embraced – even getting Christmas gifts from their new friends.
The appeal of the activities also spans the generations. Sukaina Dhanji goes to the cookery classes with her 10-year-old daughter Sabira, and to the sewing classes with her 16-year-old daughter Zahra.
She said: "We meet and do lots of different activities, not just religious activities. It's a centre for us."
n Husseini Women's Group runs dress making classes on Wednesdays, from 7pm to 9pm, cookery classes on Saturdays, from 7pm to 9pm, pilates at 3pm, on Sundays, and yoga at 7.30pm on Mondays, and at 10.30am on Thursdays.
For more information, call 07947 228551.'We need to empower them to go out and do the things they need to do'
IN URDU, "dastak" can mean a knock on the door, or an opening, and this could not be a more appropriate name for the city's newest Muslim women's group.
Because all those involved in Dastak hope that the organisation will be one that opens the door to friendship, help, fun and learning.
The group was first set up last year, but didn't pick up much support. However, this February, its founder, Hasina Majothi, has tried again and is now seeing a more successful group.
Already there are 17 members, ranging in age from their 20s to their 40s, and in their occupations from housewife to education and health professionals.
Through her work as manager at Gladstone District Community Association (GLADCA), Hasina had realised some of the needs of the female Muslim population weren't being met, and she decided a group needed to be set up to address this.
"There are needs in terms of education, health and empowering women," she said.
"We need to empower them to go out and do what they need to do."
The group's vice chairwoman, Nusrat Choudhary, said: "A lot of women tend to put their children and families first, and the group will give them an opportunity to look at themselves in educating themselves to enhance their abilities in meeting the challenges they have to face.
"A lot of the women lack confidence in general, through no fault of theirs. These women need a lot of encouragement and this is what the group aims to achieve."
The group has carried out a survey of potential members to find out what they want, and so has a clear idea of the kind of activities it will run.
Included in this plan are yoga classes, religious events, cooking and sewing classes, and even trips out.
The committee of Dastak is meeting once a month at the moment to get the group up and running, but once there are activities and outings scheduled, this will be less frequent.
It is currently based at the offices of GLADCA, in Gladstone Street, Peterborough, but it hopes to move to a more permanent home soon.
The women behind Dastak are in a good position to know what it is like to be a Muslim woman in Britain today.
While none of them have experienced any problems personally because of their faith, they are aware that difficulties do exist in wider society.
Hasina said: "When you go for a job, there is still that issue there. If you've got a hijab it is more difficult for you to get a job."
And Hasina has noble aims for our country.
"I would like to see women in higher positions in a hijab," she said. "That would mean we have been accepted."
So would that mean a big dream would be a female Muslim Prime Minister?
"Everything in life is possible if one works hard," Nusrat said.
"Obama got elected, so we should also be enthusiastic and never give up hope of achieving a dream."
For more information about Dastak Muslim Women's Group, call 01733 566343..
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Peterborough
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.