Stanmore volunteers & their role of volunteering

“Stanmore Volunteering work is honourable and constitutes a main pillar of our community. It strengthens the sense of belonging to the wider British society we seek to serve through the centre especially during big occasions like Muharram, Ramadan etc, which embodies the values of giving, solidarity and co-operation.”

Such helpful voluntary service aims to leave a great impact in the hearts of many members & visitors from our various mosques. It teaches our youths and generations the dimensions of good deeds along with its interactive and cultural values, and incorporates the concepts of innovation and diversity in religious, cultural, social and health-related volunteer work.

Common sense always calls on humans to do good and indefinitely put evil aside.

The volunteer work is considered to be one of the prominent sources of good deeds because it helps to reflect a positive image of society, and reveals its prosperity and how much good morals are spread among its members.

It might seem straightforward to ask: “What is volunteering?” However, the roles that our KSI of Stanmore Community Volunteers fulfil are enormously diverse, and the amount of time they give vary substantially, so it is not easy to pin down an answer.

My definition: Volunteering is an altruistic activity, which has the goal of providing help to others, a group, an organisation, a cause, or the community at large, without expectation of material reward. The main defining feature of volunteering is considered to be that a person’s time is given for free- “fi sabilillah”. The phrase “fi sabilillah” is an Arabic expression meaning “in the cause of Allah”, or more befittingly, “for the sake of Allah”. Unpaid volunteers are often the glue that holds our community together……and their goal is to be rewarded by God for the good deeds! Volunteering is a great form of “sadaqah”.

Stanmore Volunteers provide many support in the roles as listed below:

ADMIN:

• Assisting in various administrative tasks related to the day-to-day running of the mosque
• Assisting in various administrative tasks related to organising different events and activities, including the initial mosque opening

LIGHTS, MIC PREPARATION & GENERAL DECORATION:

• Sorting out various electrical connections
• Preparing Mic and Speakers, testing the sound system ready for lectures
• Displaying various decorative light system

CAR PARK SERVICES:

• CPV ensure the efficient and effective operation of the car park by directing vehicles into an allotted parking space by way of a smile and a hand signal
• They follow all instructions given on health & safety and use of equipment including wearing a hi-vis vest
• Verbally greet members and visitors, and safely direct them towards the mosque
• Directing visitors to the relevant mosque facilities
• Providing special assistance to visitors with specific access requirements· Answering simple visitors’ enquiries and directing them

CATERING:

• Helping to serve food, coffee/tea and snacks· Keeping tables in the main hall clean between events
• Carrying dirty dishes from the main hall to the kitchen and washing dishes where needed
• Assisting the dishwasher with putting away the clean dishes
• Helping with the general cleaning of the kitchen and eating area, including sweeping and tidying the floor, and tables, etc.

CLEANING:

• Assisting in preparing the mosque facility rooms and prayer hall· Assisting in keeping all the public spaces inside the mosque clean and tidy

IT/WEB:

• Helping to update and maintain the mosque’s website· Helping to update the mosque’s social media presence· Creating content for the website and social media channels· Helping with other general IT issues relating to the IT and TV communications infrastructure of the mosque

FIRST AID:

• Restricted to volunteers with the necessary professional training such as medical staff.
• Working as part of a team to provide first aid care in line with current protocols
• Identifying and treating injuries presented to members
• Attending to assistance when needed on medical emergency
• Being responsible for first aid equipment when on duty

FUNDRAISING:

• Liaising with the fundraising coordinators· Running bucket collections and collecting donations

HEALTH AND SECURITY:

• Restricted to volunteers with the necessary professional training
• Preventing any area from becoming congested with members and visitors
• Keeping “Exit” passage clear
• Patrolling grounds before, during and after prayers
• Identifying questionable behaviour and responding quickly by reporting it to the security coordinators

KAFAN (COFFIN) & DAFAN (BURIAL) SERVICES:

• Obtaining death certificate
• Collection, driving and taking Mayyit (deceased body) to the mosque
• Performing Ghusl Mayyit (bathing)
• Arrangements for digging of the grave, burial as well as prayers
• Arranging “Siyaka”Majlis/Nyaz
• Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. One does not need to have a college degree to serve. One doesn’t have to make a subject and a verb agree to serve. One doesn’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve.

Too often we underestimate the power of a helping hand, a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

“Stanmore Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.”

“Whilst we make a living by what we get, Stanmore Volunteers make a life by what they give.” They simply reflect our community’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another- they totally lose themselves in the services of the others. Their unselfish effort bring cheer to others; their services enlighten the burden of another.

As the saying goes…

“Their purpose of life is not to be happy, but to matter– to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that they have lived at all”.

The importance of volunteering is the impact on the community. The Volunteers’ roles and contributions have long been recognised and appreciated greatly by not only our members themselves but also by our communities at large– many of which would not exist without unpaid help, and some vital services could have even collapsed.

An appreciative message from our Stanmore Husseini Hujjat Executive Committee to all Volunteers:

We are grateful to all Volunteers who dedicate their precious time and energy in serving our community. Our volunteers are from diverse backgrounds and bring a range of skills, expertise and experience that help enhance the services and activities we deliver at Stanmore Husseini Hujjat Mosque.

We value your contribution and in particular the commitment, dedication and hard work you demonstrate in your roles.

It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice! At the end of the day it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished… it’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back. Kindness, like a boomerang, always returns! One of the best feelings in our community is knowing that someone is happy because of your help and services. Always remember, what you do for yourselves alone dies with you; but what you do for others and the community remains, and is immortal.

“Jazakallahu Khairan”

May Allah reward all of you with good, for indeed this is the utmost praise. This is because the reward is from Almighty Allah, “The Most High!” It is great, for indeed the reward of Allah and His Giving has no end to it.

“One can pay back the loan of gold, but one dies forever in debt to those who are kind and helpful”.