Hello I am Bibi and I am a Volunteer at Aawaz.

I am starting this blog to share how myself and my other volunteer sisters help with Aawaz charitable work.

March has been busy we have celebrated the end of Ramadan

Everyone has started to get back into our normal volunteer routine now. We have been helping to organise the Coffee Morning and the Chai & Chat group. Its been great. I met so many new people, men and women who live in Accrington and surrounding areas who came along to our coffee morning/ chai and chat groups.

I have agreed to be part of a volunteers group who are going to help with a consultation programme at Aawaz. I am a bit nervous but we are attending the training and briefing session organised by Zulekha so I am sure I will be ok.

February has been quite different this year because Ramadan started mid way through

All of our volunteers want to take break during Ramadan. Everyone wants to be with their families and focus on the significance of Ramadan, fasting and praying. So I helped to devise a rota so that we can still be there for the ladies who come to Aawaz to help to offer our support.

Having said that we have had some excitement a very important meeting with a very important person but I can not say anything about that yet!

We have also revised the Aawaz activities programme during Ramadan month and the Centre opening hours are also adjusted to take account of the fasting time table.

During January our volunteers group has been busy welcoming the new work ladies

You know what they say ” New year New You”. This year we have quite a few new ladies joining in all the learning activities that Aawaz provide, so we helping them settle in. Its nice when you go somewhere and there is a friendly face that is what we provide.

WE have also helped to organise the official opening of the Aawaz Arts exhibition. It was so wonderful the Mayor of Hyndburn cam to the official opening and we also joined the unity choir to sing a special song to welcome him and the audience. I do hope you will visit the Haworth Art Gallery to see our exhibition.

I find the role of volunteer so rewarding it helps me to learn new things and to be more confident when I am talking with people.