This story was reported in The Yorkshire Post
The Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community of Bradford has been honoured with the ‘Great Britain Spring Clean Award’ for their efforts in environmental conservation.
The award was presented by Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, who praised the community’s commitment to civic engagement. She remarked, “It’s great to see Bradford citizens getting involved and playing their part in making Bradford a great place to live. The Dawoodi Bohra community is transforming words into positive action and, as a result, has been nationally recognised for its community work. Congratulations and thanks.”
The recognition highlights the Bohras’ sustained efforts to protect and enhance the local environment. As part of their broader commitment to sustainability and service, the community regularly organises litter clean-up drives at various locations including Girlington, Chellow Dean Reservoir, Bradford Beck, Kirkstall Goit, and the River Aire in Baildon.
Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “Thanks to faith groups like the Dawoodi Bohras, and our army of volunteers, more than 4.2 million bags of harmful litter have been removed from streets, parks and beaches since the Great British Spring Clean movement began in 2016 – that’s more than half a million wheelie bins!
“The environment belongs to everyone and we want to thank Litter Heroes across the country who have taken positive action to tackle litter and show they love where they live.”
Raaj Cochin, a member of the Bradford Dawoodi Bohra community, shared: “We’re honoured to be recognised by Keep Britain Tidy for our continuous efforts to preserve and protect the environment through litter picks, river and beach clean ups, tree planting and zero-waste drives. We believe that such initiatives not only improve the cleanliness and aesthetics of our surroundings but also raise environmental awareness and responsibility among residents.”
These initiatives are a part of Bohras’ in Bradford global philanthropic arm, Project Rise which collaborates with local communities and government bodies to and alleviate the vulnerable hunger, provide access to education, improve health and hygiene, and safeguard the environment
Adam Masjid, the community’s local centre in Bradford, was one of the first mosques in the UK to incorporate solar power. The community also actively participates in annual tree-planting campaigns and other environmental initiatives.