Singer-songwriter Zain Bhikha said he was overjoyed to be visiting the North West this week.

The South African who has millions of fans across the world, was helping to judge an ‘Abu Hanifah’s Got Talent' event at Blackburn Central High School before attending a special charity dinner at the Maida Restaurant.

AHF is a multi award winning local charity specialising in holistic education and positive community engagement.

Zain met with the Founder and CEO, Shaykh Imtiyaz Damiel and a number of his committee members who went through some of the work carried out by the Foundation over the last three years since its inception in September 2011.

He was given a tour of their Wisdom House complex on Preston New Road. He said, “It is with enormous blessings that I have visited AHF today. What an amazing concept and what a great service to the community... and most importantly the children.

“I’m so impressed that I would love for you to visit me in South Africa so we can adopt it over there!”

Zain and the team then made their way to Blackburn Central High School where he was the guest judge at the “AHF’s Got Talent” finals, alongside BCHS Headteacher, Mrs Diane Atkinson and the Deputy Head Mrs Shanaz Hussain.

They were all extremely impressed with the talent on show especially from children aged as young as 4. There were thirty performances and five eventual winners.

“Judging was extremely difficult as they were all so good and so cute!” He said, before performing one of his most popular nasheeds accompanied by many AHF pupils as his backing singers.

BCHS Headteacher Mrs Atkinson said during the event, “The children were absolutely magnificent, each and every one giving truly inspirational performances, making the judging and picking a winner from each age group almost impossible”.

From BCHS, Zain went on to a fundraising charity gala dinner organised by AHF in collaboration with Islamic Relief with whom he is currently doing a national tour.

There he helped AHF raise much needed funds to continue their work by enthralling a packed audience with his melodious nasheeds.

He performed hits like Free, Land of Revelation, Hasbun’Allah and Ca C’est la Vie from his new album called ‘The Passing Traveller’ finishing off with the all-time classic and fans favourite Mountains of Makkah!.