Last week, the Winter Gardens hosted a fantastic Ramadan event to celebrate Iftar, the breaking of fast, where anyone was welcome to attend. With lectures, speeches, prayers, songs and lots of delicious food—it was unmissable and a great way to bring the community together and enrich people in the culture.

Ramadan is a month-long celebration of the Quran where Muslims do not eat or drink during daylight hours; this is known as fasting. Fasting allows Muslims to focus on their faith and remember the month that the Quran was first presented to the Prophet Mohammed. Ramadan takes place on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which changes every year depending on the moon cycles, but this year, it began on Friday 28 February and will end on Sunday 30 March.

At the Winter Gardens event, the evening commenced with a recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by captivating performances by Birmingham’s Nasheed group, Shaam. Aishah Ahmed from Aishah’s Food Charity, the organisation behind this event and the provider of the heaps of fantastic food, delivered an inspiring speech, highlighting their efforts and the importance of the event. This was followed by a lecture on the significance of Ramadan and a prayer before the sunset and the attendees broke their fast, indulging in the delicious spread.

Aishah’s Food Charity prepared trays of food for each table, including roast chicken pieces, vegetable pakora, vegetable samosas, lamb, chicken and vegetable biryani, Dall soup, and baklava for dessert.

This charity was set up by Aishah Ahmed, a 21-year-old Law student who wanted to help reduce hunger in Weston-super-Mare by setting up a hot meal foodbank every Wednesday evening to help those in need. She wanted to follow in her dad’s footsteps, Sayd Ahmed, who has a long reputation for similar work in the community. All the food was delicious and packed with flavour and heart which everyone in the room enjoyed.

In order to immerse our students in this religious occasion, our Level 2 Hospitality and Catering learners assisted in the preparation of some of the food. During a workshop with local business owner, Syed, our students learnt how to make chicken biryani and vegetable pakora, focusing highly on the spices used. They even got to attend the event themselves to enrich themselves in the culture and gain a better understanding of Ramadan, as well as assisting in serving the dishes to the community.

The evening continued with other speeches from influential people from around Weston-super-Mare, lessons surrounding breaking the fast and the end of the fasting period, and concluding with a final performance from Nasheed by Shaam Group and closing ceremony remarks.

This event had over 500 attendees from in and around Weston-super-Mare, welcoming everyone with open arms to learn about their religion and celebrate this event with the community as a whole. With delicious food, amazing company, and fantastic music, this event was a great way to celebrate Ramadan and Iftar, experiencing the cultural traditions and educating everyone about its importance.

A big thank you to Aishah’s Food Charity for organising this event and allowing our Hospitality and Catering students to be a part of it.

This workshop forms part of the Hospitality and Catering Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College's Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners' careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.

If you’re interested in applying to one of our Hospitality and Catering courses, click here.