MOSQUES in Blackburn are joining the fight against food poverty after a successful foodbank drive over Ramadhan inspired them to set up permanent donation points.

Zaheer Mahmud of One Voice, a Muslim volunteer group set up to improve the social and economic well-being of the most deprived communities, said: “Over Ramadhan, we think about people less fortunate than ourselves.

“We decided to collect donations for the local foodbank and we managed to raise over a tonne of food.

“Ros (Duerden) at the foodbank said to us, if just one person donated an item of food each week, they’d have enough to provide for everyone. It just made us think that we should set up permanent collections in mosques in the area to allow that to happen.”

Blackburn Foodbank has also set up new collection points in Asda and Tesco, community centres, businesses and Pleasington Priory, Holy Souls and St Oswald churches to encourage more regular donations.

Collection points are also available at Masjid-e-Raza in Balaclava Street, Madina Masjid in Oak Street, Masjid-e-Noor in Saunders Road and Jamia Ghosia Masjid in Chester Street.