UK mosque donates beds bought for care facility to homeless charity

Dr. Mohammed Jiva MBE sits on one of the beds that was donated to Backup North West. (Supplied)

• The beds were bought as part of an initiative to free up hospital beds during the first wave of coronavirus cases
• They were funded by donations from the community

LONDON: A mosque in northwest England is donating 20 new beds to a young people’s homeless charity.
Masjid E Ghosia had originally planned to open its doors to end-of-life patients in April during the coronavirus lockdown in the UK when mosques were ordered to close.
The beds were bought as part of an initiative to free up hospital beds and provide patients with professional medical care. They were funded by donations from the generous community, which did not hold back when asked for help.
However, the project was canceled after hospitals in the Greater Manchester area were able to handle the large number of coronavirus patients.
Dr. Mohammed Jiva MBE, who had the idea to provide end-of-life care at the mosque’s premises in Bolton and led preparations, told Arab News the initiative was not needed as “there was plenty of NHS capacity already.”
He added: “As the NHS Nightingale Hospital North West started to step down and we had 20 beds, we thought the beds should go to a charitable cause as they were bought with donations from the community given in good faith.”
The temporary hospital opened in Manchester to ensure extra capacity was available to the region’s hospitals during the first wave of coronavirus cases in the UK.
It has since closed, but could be used again “should there be another peak or second wave in cases,” the NHS said.
Jiva, a full-time GP and CEO of the Rochdale and Bury Medical Committee, and the British Hajj delegation, said he spoke to a member of staff at Backup North West, a homeless charity for teenagers, who told him that the charity was always looking for beds.
“When they came to collect the beds and we dismantled all 20 of them and arranged for a driver to deliver them, they were shocked because the beds were new and unused. They thought they were going to be second-hand beds and were so grateful. The people who donated are also grateful because their donations have gone toward a good cause,” he added.
The beds will be used by those aged between 16 and 25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
The donation comes as Backup North West prepares to open new accommodation and expand its services.
The charity was founded in 1992 to offer accommodation, support and education to young people aged 16 to 25.