Bristol Muslim Cultural Society
The Bristol Muslim Cultural Society (BMCS) was established in 1986 and is one of the oldest voluntary sector non-profit making organisations in the city. BMCS's Community Development Officer Farooq Siddique gave Voscur an insight into who they are and want they've been up.
What are the aims of the Bristol Muslim Cultural Society?
Our aim is to empower the Muslim community in Bristol and the surrounding area to further the economic (employment, enterprise, training) educational, recreational, cultural and social needs of the Muslim community, while encouraging their active participation in mainstream society, and provide support to interested stakeholders.
What do you think the biggest challenges facing BMCS in the next year?
As with all voluntary & community organisations, securing additional funding remains a priority. Establishment of a Muslim Forum whereby we bring all the Muslim led groups and Mosques together around one table, able to discuss the issues that affect all of us as part of the wider Muslim community is another target. The Forum is being developed to raise the issues that have thus far not been addressed. We also intend to develop a Young Muslims Forum, for the first time hearing directly and independently from the young people of Bristol. Another priority is raising the standard of our advice, advocacy and information services.
We also need to core capacity as well as to build the capacity of the existing community infrastructure.
We are also in dire need of a new office location, our lease in our current premises ends in Dec 2005, which cannot be extended.
What have been your successes in the past year?
The demand for our Cultural Awareness programmes has almost doubled, last year we delivered an incredible 108 presentations. Our work with the media and representing the local community has now been officially endorsed and confirmed by a meeting of all local Muslim-led groups and mosques.
With our partner organisation BTIT, we applied for and were awarded an exclusive 32-day RSL licence from OFCOM to broadcast a local radio station. "Radio Ramadhan Bristol" began broadcasting in early October to the local community.
We raised over £30,000 in donations during our citywide appeal to help the victims of the Tsunami. The incredible total donated within just a few weeks from the general public was in addition to the combined total of approx £7,000 raised by the local Mosques. The support and recognition from the Muslim community confirmed BMCS's profile as being the premier Muslim organisation in Bristol.
Our youth work has proved astonishingly successful with BMCS sports teams winning a whole cabinet of trophies last year. We continue to develop and expand our Scouts programmes, increasing our range of services by establishing our first After School Club. Mentoring continues through our visits to Muslim prisoners including now, Guys Marsh, Horfield and Ashfield Young Offenders.
Our innovative social cohesion programmes have also been of huge success, with BMCS being on of the driving members of the Multi Faith Forum as well as cross cultural seminars and events. Our annual Islamic Cultural Fayre proved to be the most successful ever, attracting 10,000 visitors.
What funding challenges does your group face?
As a Muslim group, we do not knowingly apply for lottery funds. Lottery funding is prohibited because it is funds from gambling. Applying for such funds, although immensely useful, would alienate us from our core beneficiaries. We are therefore limited to the number of funding stream to which we can apply. We also suffer from the perception that we are a religious organisation, which we are clearly not, simply because we have the word "Muslim" in our title.
Islamic Awareness Week is the 21-27 November, will you be holding any special events?
We plan to hold a seminar for local professionals entitled: "Islamaphobia: Its Impact on Social Cohesion"
What are the benefits for you of being a member of Voscur?
We get regular updates, community directory, a platform for highlighting our activities, considered and timely advice.
How can people get in contact you?
Farooq Siddique
Community Development Officer
Bristol Muslim Cultural Society (BMCS)
101A St Marks Rd, Easton
Bristol, BS5 6HY
Tel/fax: 0117 9392559
Email: bmcs@bmcs.org.uk
Webiste: www.bmcs.org.uk (under development)
If your group would like to be profiled in a future Voscur newsletter or on our website, please contact Sophie Mellor at the Voscur office Tel. 909 9949,
or email: sophie@voscur.org
