Imam joins faith leaders urging people to volunteer on coronation holiday

UK faith leaders promote The Big Help Out project to inspire volunteering and support communities on coronation bank holiday

Interfaith leaders come together to serve the homeless and support The Big Help Out project at The Passage charity in London. PA

Leading faith figures in the UK are calling on people to volunteer on the bank holiday Monday after the coronation weekend, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Chief Rabbi, and prominent figures from the Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist communities.

The Big Help Out volunteering project on May 8 aims to inspire and recruit a new generation of volunteers by showing how easy it is to become involved.

The project offers opportunities to work with the Scouts, Royal Voluntary Service, Guide Dogs and the smallest local volunteering groups.

The Archbishop, Chief Rabbi and other faith and community leaders will visit The Passage, a charity for the homeless in central London, on Wednesday to encourage people to take part in The Big Help Out.

The group will help to sort donated clothing and serve food to the homeless.

The Muslim leader at the Canary Wharf Multifaith Chaplaincy has voiced support for the project.

Also onboard is the general secretary of the Hindu Council UK, president of the Hindu Forum of Britain, director of the Network of Sikh Organisations, head monk of the London Buddhist Vihara, and chief Sangha Nayaka of Britain have all voiced their support for the project.

“Volunteering is a vital part of our faith and values,” said Sheikh Abdul Qayum, Muslim chaplain at the Canary Wharf Multifaith Chaplaincy.

“It is a way to serve and support our communities and to demonstrate our commitment to making a positive difference in the world.”

Shaykha Saleha Islam, member of the Board of Scholars at The Muslim Law (Shariah) Council UK, told The National: "As Independent Faith Leaders of the Muslim community, we urge Britons to volunteer for collective community work which would be in the interest of serving humanity. This is supported by Islam".

The Big Help Out has also received support from the Bishop of the Ukrainian Church in London and the chief executive of Humanists UK.

“By taking part in The Big Help Out campaign, volunteering our time and energy, we can make a positive impact on our communities, help those in need and promote social cohesion,” said Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.

“I urge everyone, regardless of their faith or background, to embrace this opportunity and take part in this day of national volunteering.”

The project has been welcomed by many as an opportunity to bring together people from different faiths and backgrounds to work towards a common goal.

“Faith communities are a vital part of the volunteering landscape in the UK,” said Brendan Cox, co-founder of the Together Coalition, which is organising The Big Help Out.

“Their tireless work and dedication to helping others is an inspiration to us all.

“We are excited to have their support for The Big Help Out, and we hope that their involvement will encourage people of all faiths and none to get involved and make a difference in their communities.”

The coronation weekend celebrates the anointing of King Charles III to serve others, and The Big Help Out aims to build on this by inspiring a new generation of volunteers to support their communities.

Organisers are calling on everyone to embrace this opportunity to come together and build a legacy of love.