Over 250 staff, students and people from the local community joined Leicester College for the first-ever Big Iftaar event, held on 21 March 2024 at the Abbey Park Campus.

Leicester College partnered with The City Retreat to host the ‘Big Iftaar’, which celebrated Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. At the event, Shaykh Shafi Chowdhury from The City Retreat spoke about the importance of Ramadan to Muslims.

The Adhaan (call to prayer) was delivered from the rooftop of the Abbey Park Campus building, with a congregation for Maghrib Salah – the prayer for sunset – for both men and women. Staff and students from the College then served free Iftaar meals – a meal eaten at sunset during Ramadan to break the day’s fast.

The event was sponsored by One Nation and The Empire Hall, and fundraised £200 for humanitarian aid.

Verity Hancock, Principal at Leicester College, said: “We were delighted that so many people from the local community were able to join our staff and students, of all faiths, to celebrate this important date in the Islamic holy month.”

Shaykh Shafi from The City Retreat, added: “We would like to extend our gratitude to Leicester College for hosting this first Big Iftaar. It was a wonderful event, bringing together so many different people to celebrate Ramadan with us.”