Young people from across the borough have gathered at Blackburn Youth Zone for an Iftar meal.

The 'Great Big Iftar' was organised by the Youth Zone and One Voice Blackburn this Ramadan month.

The evening celebration saw Muslims and non-Muslims come together to break the fast collectively, while learning about what Ramadan means to members of the Muslim community.

The event was hosted by young West End Girl (WEG) Udaysah Masters.

Maulana Siddik Patel took questions from the audience before reciting a communal prayer shortly before the fast was broken.

When the fast opened shortly before 6.30pm, guests were treated to dates (to open the fast) and a buffet of delicious food and desserts. 

Lancashire Telegraph:

Alex Newman, from Blackburn and Darwen Youth Zone, spoke about her fasting experience as part of the “I'm not a Muslim but I will fast for one day” campaign.

She said: “Seeing community members, young people and staff come together to celebrate Ramadan was heart-warming. 

"It was great to watch some performances from One Voice members and hear an Imam speak about Ramadan, as it gave us all an insight into why we fast and celebrate Ramadan. 

"We all broke fast together and shared our experiences. I enjoyed speaking to the community about my fasting experiences and building up my knowledge of Islam.

"Everyone said how much they enjoyed the evening, and I couldn’t agree more.”

Jayne Rogers attended with her family. She said: “It was a lovely evening and we realised how similar Islam is to our Christian faith. 

"The prayers are very much like our lord’s prayer. It was nice learning about why people fast whilst enjoying a collective meal with Blackburn Youth Zone and One Voice Blackburn."

Iftar events have been taking place on an almost daily basis across Blackburn and East Lancashire, as communities come together to break fast and learn more about each other's faith and beliefs.