Posted on 9th July 2013 by New College Group

Ramadan in Manchester

Tomorrow marks the first full fasting day of Ramadan and we understand that if you’re new to Manchester, you may not be used to experiencing Ramadan away from your family and community at home.

Manchester has a thriving Muslim community and there’s a whole range of events, guides and resources available to help you celebrate this spiritual time of year, support other people of your faith and get helpful tips for staying healthy while fasting. We hope this will be of use if you have any queries please feel free to ask our friendly staff or contact us on Facebook, we’re here to help!

Radio Ramadan 87.7 FM

Radio Ramadan Manchester/Sheffield broadcasts 24 hours a day during Ramadan and aims to bring all members of the Islamic faith (and the wider public) a variety of interviews, discussions and programming celebrating the Islamic way of life. As a 24 hour resource, this is great if you need a little support during unsociable hours!

Timetables for Manchester

If you’re currently checking sunrise and sunset on a day to day basis then there are some useful Ramadan timetables tailored for Manchester which will give you a detailed listing of prayer times throughout Ramadan.

Mosques Within the City Centre

If you’ve just begun an English language course with us or you’re planning on coming to New College Manchester in the future then you may be worrying about finding a place of Worship in a brand new city. Visiting a Mosque directory is useful (which will list Mosques near to your home) and our friendly staff will also be able to point you in the right direction. Don’t forget we also have a prayer room at New College Manchester too.

Television Coverage

This year Channel 4 have realised just how important Ramadan is to British-Muslim culture (around 5% of the UK’s population will take part in Ramadan this month) and have consequently tailored their programming to reflect the needs of people engaging in Ramadan. The Channel 4 News weatherman will announce sunrise and sunset times during the forecast and Channel 4 will also broadcast the call to prayer (adhan) every morning for the rest of Ramadan.

If you frequently watch Channel 4 then you’ve probably seen the adverts currently airing which depict Muslims and members of the general public talking honestly and freely about what Ramadan means to them. We suggest you visit the 4Ramadan website for documentaries, information and short films surrounding the festival.

Giving to the Poor

You may have your own unique and personal ways of helping people less fortunate than yourself during Ramadan and throughout the year but if you’re new to Manchester and would like to get involved with a volunteering project then the Volunteer Centre Manchester is a great place to start. For some of the roles, you may need a CRB (criminal records) check, especially if you are working with children or vulnerable adults, but volunteers are always appreciated so contact them to see if anything interests you.

Equally, if you would like to donate to charity then food banks are in urgent need for donations right now (non-perishable items such as tins and packaged items). Food banks work by giving food to needy families and the need for food banks has really hit the news in the past year as more and more people are turning to them during times of financial hardship. Right now the charities are setting up in popular supermarkets such as Tesco (great as you can pop a few bits in your trolley as you shop!) but you can also find out where your nearest donation point is by visiting the Trussell Trust and searching with your postcode (or specifying “central Manchester”).

Ramadan Mubarak