Page 50 - Ramadan 2022

50 LG RAMADAN 2022

HE West Midlands proper walkers’ and compared
has provided the them to migrating animals. The
biggest number of abuse became national news and
Tparticipants in Muslim well-wishers rallied round the
Hikers and the fast-growing out- hikers.
doors group owes its existence to In just two weeks in January,
a Coventry man. The group made the group gained 16,000 Twitter
national headlines after pictures followers. Recent hikes have been
of its Christmas Day hike in the sell-outs.
Peak District were trolled on Haroon made the decision to
social media. leave his full-time job at a British
Now Coventry-born found- Muslim humanitarian charity
er Haroon Mota is defying the to focus on building up Muslim
haters by planning a hike during Hikers and other projects through
Ramadan, which begins in April. his own social enterprise, Active
There are hikes scheduled every Inclusion Network. Haroon is
month for the rest of the year, in- driven by “huge passion to get
cluding to Snowdon in June, the communities outside, to exercise
Yorkshire Three Peaks in July and and enjoy the beautiful coun-
Scafell Pike in August. Non-Mus- tryside”. is objectives include
lims are warmly welcomed on all addressing the low physical
the hikes. Muslim Hikers began activity levels in the South Asian
as an Instagram page in Septem- community, meeting a demand
ber 2020, to create a sense of for safe exercise opportunities for
community and inspire people to women and promoting respect for Muslim Hikers leaves trolls
get outside during the pandemic. the environment. He is a Natural
Haroon said: “There was so much England ambassador for a cam-
appreciation of people connect- paign to promote and update the in the dust with a Ramadan hike
ing with the page that we started Countryside Code. Separately he’s
organising events on demand.” working on a Sport England-fund-
When pictures of the Christmas ed programme to champion programme. tions. We had a family fun day on so we can have provision for wom-
hike to Mam Tor, in Derbyshire, health and activate green spaces We’re working with local school playing fields which hadn’t been en-only swimming sessions. We’re
were posted online, some cruel in Foleshill, where he grew up. and community groups, NHS pub- used for 10 years. “We’re training thinking how we can bring about
trolls abused the hikers as ‘not He said: “It’s a 15-month pilot lic health teams, faith organisa- up women to become lifeguards, long-term sustainable change.”