Bristol's Grand Iftar returns to the city for the first time in three years

A popular Islamic event in Bristol has returned to the city for the first time in three years.

The 'Grand Iftar' was held in St Mark's Road in Easton last night (28 April). The event allows people who fast for Ramadan to come together for their evening meal - also know as an 'iftar' - to celebrate the breaking of fast.

But this event, is also designed to bring people of all faiths and cultures together.

Co-founder Afzal Shah said: "It is the end of Ramadan but we've also got Easter and Passover. In Easton we have a mosque, a church and synagogue and it is great people are coming together and creating that understanding between all faiths."

Hundreds of meals were prepared by the Muslim community to hand out at the event.

The event is led entirely by a group of volunteers who raise their own funds each year in order to feed people for free.

Organiser Moestak Hussein said: "It is a form of charity, no one wants to get paid everyone wants to do it out of their own good will.

"Grand Iftar is about coming together, eating together and learning abut Iftar."

The event on St Mark's Road was set up in 2017 after the Manchester Arena bombing, as a way of promoting peace and unity.

Because of the pandemic, it was last held in 2019 when 6000 people turned up. This year numbers were restricted to 150 because of Covid. But there are plans to increase capacity for next year's event.

One of the organisers, Mohamed Sayqle said: "Because of Covid we decided to have a smaller scale Grand Iftar but next year we may have ten thousand people.

He added: "We are thinking of having anther one in College Green so there will be two next year."

This year the Islamic community event paid tribute to Hanna Ahmed, one of the key organisers of the Bristol Grand Iftar.

Hanna, who passed away in 2020, was a community volunteer, a campaigner against female genital mutilation (FGM) and a victim support worker.