Staff at Bristol Rovers FC Community Trust had a visit of the Shah Jalal Jame Mosque in Bristol as part of The PFA’s unionlearn ‘Achievement Through Sport’ programme to build new links with the Muslim community. 

The visit follows on from the partnership that PFA/ULF Project Worker Riz Rehman forged between Bristol Rovers FC Community Trust (BRFCCST) and the Bristol Muslim Cultural Society (BMCS) in August 2015. Rovers staff attended the BMCS annual Islamic Fayre, which attracts over 12,000 visitors, and introducing them to a variety of facilities, services and career opportunities available locally and nationally. BRFCCST staff supported the day with its volunteers to help coordinate the day.

Bristol Muslim Cultural Society was established in 1986 and is one of the oldest voluntary sector non-profit making organisations in the city, based in Easton at the heart of a culturally diverse inner city area of Bristol. BMCS aim to empower the Muslim community in Bristol and the surrounding area to further the economic (employment, enterprise, training) educational, recreational, cultural and social needs of the Muslim community, while encouraging their active participation in mainstream society, and provide support to interested stakeholders.

BRFCCST Originally launched in 1992 as part of the PFA’s nationwide Football in the Community initiative to encourage children to play football and support their local club. The Trust works with a wide spectrum of the community offering social inclusion, health, education and sports participation projects to give people the opportunity of enhancing and improving their life choices.

BMCS Project Manager Rizwan Ahmed welcomed the Bristol Rovers FC Community Staff to the Mosque and gave a tour before delivering a short Cultural Awareness workshop that consisted of the history of Muslims in the UK, defining some Islamic terms, an introduction to the seven articles of Faith and the Five Pillars of Islam as well as holding a short Q&A.

BRFCCST Manager and PFA/Unionlearn Representative, Peter Aitken said:

We would like to offer our thanks' to the staff at "The Shah Jalal Jame Mosque" and in particular Rizwan for his presentation on the Muslim faith. All the community staff attended what proved to be an enlightening session. Our understanding of the Muslim faith has an important role to play in what we do on a daily basis. We are involved with a wide diversity of cultures in our local community and for our staff to be educated across the different faiths will give us a greater understanding of the people that we work with."

Riz Rehman said:

This was an excellent example of our on-going commitment to build new partnerships between Club Community Trusts and minority groups to offer more opportunities for the wider community. The staff at Bristol Rovers FC were initially prepped by the PFA about standard Mosque etiquettes such as removing their shoes upon entering the Mosque and dress code, which they found useful. 

Moving forward, we aim to invite representatives from BMCS to the Memorial stadium to be part of an Educational Evening and watch a game. Our long-term aim is to recruit volunteers, coaches and sessional education advisors to work for the club and become ambassadors of the great work that the club deliver."