Presents Collected for Vulnerable Children Across England
Ash-Shahada HA ran its festive season toy collection drive to support vulnerable children in London and the Midlands. We distributed over 120 presents to vulnerable people with a large portion of the presents being donated to Lambeth Council directly and others to tenants under Birmingham City Council.
Lambeth’s Cllr Anna Birley started her initiative in the wake of COVID-19’s impact on children this year with more and more being affected by the pandemic. Fellow councillor and Ash-Shahada board member Cllr Irfan Mohammed asked for some of the gifts to be dedicated to the councillor initiative. Along with our Director Umar Mahmood, numerous volunteers gave up their time to collect, drop off, clean and wrap toys being delivered across the borough.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP joins Umar Mahmood at Streatham Library to see gifts being delivered and wrapped.
In a written letter to the recipients of the presents, CEO Toaha Qureshi MBE said: “I hope you will accept this present for your child from Ash-Shahada Housing Association to make this holiday a little more special for children and spread some joy during this festive season. In light of such a testing year we have all been through, I am sure this year’s festive season will mean that much more.”
CEO Toaha Qureshi signs the letters to be placed with each gift donated
Toys that were being delivered received comments such as “this has been a difficult period but these presents are just the lift these kids need”.
The toys were delivered to Brixton Library where Director Umar Mahmood met with Lambeth Council’s Director Children Social Care, Alex Taylor Kubeyinje, and Councillor Anna Birley. The presents, all brand new and boxed, included bubble machines, digital watches, make up sets, board and card games, teddy bears, mosaic kits, jewellry sets and the like. Cllr Anna Birley thanked Ash-Shahada “for the amazing donation of presents and the long hard hours of volunteering”.
Umar Mahmood drops off 77 presents to Cllr Anna Birley and Alex Taylor Kubeyinje (Director Children Social Care – London Borough of Lambeth) for the toys collection drive.
In the Midlands, with our managing agent and support provider, we delivered presents to young children who are our tenants in our mother and baby units. We were pleased to be joined by Waheed Saleem, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for the Midlands, on the occasion and the children were beaming with happiness. Along with the presents, parents and children were also treated to hot meals. 
Deputy Mayor of Policing and Crime Waheed Saleem distributes toys to children
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