Nadiya Hussain to join guests at one of UK’s ‘biggest iftars’ in Milton Keynes
Great British Bake Off winner will meet and greet some of the estimated 2,500 attendees at the Grand Iftar, to be held at Stadium MK
Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain and champion boxer Adam Azim will be among celebrity guests at one of the UK’s largest ever iftars later this month, with 2,500 people expected at the event in Milton Keynes.
The Grand Iftar takes place at the Stadium MK — home of the MK Dons football club — on 28 February. It is being run by the Muslim community organisation Mubarak Moments, which is based in the city and run by volunteers.
Imam Shehzad Hussain, co-founder of Mubarak Moments, said one of the goals was to “connect Muslims from diverse backgrounds and communities” in the hope they would stay in touch. Census data from 2021 shows the city is home to an estimated 20,000 Muslims — a little over 7% of the population — including Pakistani, Bengali, Somali and Arab communities.
“Communities and cultures, as well as mosques, have had their differences of opinions from the beginning of time,” said Shehzad Hussain, who is the imam of Wolverton Mosque in the north-west of the city. “Our aim is to find common moral ground and reasons for unity, and to celebrate the differences.”
Ticket prices begin at £6, but guests can pay extra for a meet and greet with Hussain, who won The Great British Bake Off in 2015 and will be signing copies of her book Rooza. They will also have the opportunity to win signed gloves from reigning super lightweight world champion Azim.
Shaykh Tanveer Hussain will speak at the event and attendees will receive an iftar pack containing dates, water and samosa chaat, and a hot meal following the maghrib prayer. Under-twos get in free but will not get the meal.
Mubarak Moments — whose name incorporates the Arabic word for “blessing” — held a similar, but smaller, event last year, which saw more than 1,000 people come together to break the fast.
The company also threw an Eid celebration at the Gulliver’s Land theme park in Milton Keynes.
Shehzad Hussain added that events such as these were needed “now more than ever”, with communities and families disconnected by social media, work and other responsibilities.
Kurshida Mirza, former high sheriff of Buckinghamshire, said of last year’s Grand Iftar: “It was good to see so many Muslims from across Milton Keynes and beyond at the stadium and a great opportunity to share the beauty of Ramadan and break the fast together.”
The Grand Iftar starts at 1.30pm on Saturday 28 February. Last entry is at 4pm.
