Peterborough Mosque Hosts Drug and Alcohol Awareness Event, Deemed ‘Encouraging’

An event focused on drug and alcohol awareness was held at a mosque, aiming to motivate Muslims and their families dealing with addiction to seek assistance. The workshop, organized by Dr. Azhar Chaudhry, saw dozens of attendees, including children, at Faizan-E-Madina, Peterborough’s largest Mosque. Dr. Chaudhry stated that drug and alcohol dependency constitutes “a huge problem” within Peterborough’s Muslim community, but noted that cultural stigma has made engagement difficult. Raja Alyas, representing the Peterborough-based Aspire charity, which focuses on engaging with communities that are typically harder to reach, described the event as “a step in the right direction.” Dr. Chaudhry, affiliated with Thistlemoor Medical Centre, expressed that the participation of the mosque committee, who both attended and assisted in organizing the event, was “encouraging.” He mentioned that further efforts are needed to engage with other mosques that could support initiatives such as Aspire, but acknowledged the current collaborative efforts. Having relocated to the UK from Pakistan in 2001, he is a member of the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA). As a volunteer, he also conducts other workshops aimed at raising community awareness on topics such as CPR, diabetes, and cancer screening. He commented, “I love what I do. I am passionate about saving lives.” “You will be shocked to see how prevalent the drug and alcohol issues are in the Muslim community. I see it as a GP who works in a diverse part of the city. “But it is difficult to engage with them, they don’t want to seek help,” he added. He further stated, “It is a sensitive issue for the community. There is a lot of stigma, so it needs to be addressed cautiously but attitudes are improving, hopefully.” Aspire collaborates with Peterborough City Council, general practitioners, and the Probation Service. The charity also runs a regular clinic at Thistlemoor Medical Centre, offering individuals encountering stigma a “discreet option” for seeking assistance. Mr. Alyas remarked, “The workshop was well attended and was very interactive and great to see young people asking questions about how they can safeguard themselves.” He continued, “The young generation is being empowered with knowledge on making their decisions,” adding, “It was good to see the attendees acknowledging that there is an issue. Previously, when we tired to set up a workshop like this it was not as well received.” “But the mosque saying they look forward to more events including for women is a step in the right direction,” he concluded.