The Bridgwater Mosque One Year On

Bridgwater people welcomed into the Westover Mosque by local secretary Karim Miah
Bridgwater people welcomed into the Westover Mosque by local secretary Karim Miah

This weekend trending on twitter is the hashtag #YouAintNoMuslimBruv. As the world reels in horror in the wake of the Paris bombings and British Muslims make their position clear after the Leytonstone incident, that the people doing these things for the past 10 years are not doing it in the name of true Islam, now seemed to be the right time for us to revisit Bridgwater’s own Mosque – the Bridgwater Jamme Masjid in Westover, and see how they were getting on.

In October 2014 the local Islamic Community opened the towns first Mosque – the Islamic Cultural Centre. Sedgemoor District and Bridgwater Town Councils gave them a grant (available to any church group) and suddenly social media was awash with unreasonable people screaming unreasonable abuse. It was a great moment when local voices silenced their bigoted compatriots on facebook after a battle in cyberspace that lasted several hours. In the meantime some idiots had stuck anti islamic stickers on the door of the mosque and were threatening to firebomb the place. After swift action by the Police who took the hate crime as seriously as it deserved and paid prompt visits to the perpetrators  the Town Council immediately  visited the centre to offer our support.

A year on and the time was right to pay another visit.

Karim Miah says "Islam is about peace but these terrorists are giving us a bad name"
Karim Miah says “Islam is about peace but these terrorists are giving us a bad name”

Several councillors were joined by a group of visiting Czech Family Centre workers and organisers of the recent Community cohesion initiative ‘Bridgwater Together’ and were shown around the centre by Mosque Secretary Karim Miah.

The Masjid is a very modest in design and content. The larger room is adorned only with a series of fitted prayer mats pointing towards Mecca and a series of clocks on one wall telling the time at various places around the globe. There is a second smaller room for use by the much smaller group of Muslim women.

“Getting on with People”

Karim, who is of Bengali origin and moved to Bridgwater from London to work in a popular local Indian restaurant,straight away addressed the question of ISIS and Islamic fundamentalism saying “These people are not proper Islam, they’re giving us a bad name. Islam should be about a peaceful life and getting on with people.”

The Muslim congregation is around 50-60 people and they are keen to get this message out. That Bridgwater people will accept them and demonstrate tolerance as they would any religious group in their town is the question. The strategy would have to be getting themselves involved in the wider community.

 

 

 

Westover Ward Annual Review Thursday 10th December

Xmas-invitation-WestoverA warm Christmas welcome to all who live in the Westover ward from your 4 councillors. To top the year off we usually have (and this year is no different) a Christmas get-together at the Art Centre to see how the previous years gone.

This year it’ll be on Thursday 10th December at 7.30 in the upstairs Studio (well, it’s always there). Please feel welcome to come along and join us and afterwards in the bar for a drink.

Town Council put Police and Crime Commissioner under the spotlight

PCC Sue Mountstevens takes the top table alongside Mayor Redman and Sgt Ryan.
PCC Sue Mountstevens takes the top table alongside Mayor Redman and Sgt Ryan.

Following last months revelations about police numbers and force morale in Bridgwater,Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset , Sue Mountstevens, was asked to attend the December 3rd meeting of Bridgwater Town Council to set the record straight…if she could.

Sue Mountstevens, who was accompanied by Inspector Andrew Pritchard and Town Beat Sergeant Ryan Edwards, said she would talk strategically but leave operational matters to the local officers. The opening question from Cllr Mick Lerry (Victoria) put the key point about the 50% drop in numbers to her and how this could provide full cover for the people of Bridgwater. Continue reading “Town Council put Police and Crime Commissioner under the spotlight”

Town Council goes for Growth to attract extra funding

Cllr John Turner presents the Town Council budget for 2016-17
Cllr John Turner presents the Town Council budget for 2016-17

At last nights meeting of Bridgwater Town Council, Chairman of the Finance Committee Cllr John Turner (Hamp) presented the proposed budget for 2016-17 and it was passed unanimously.

The proposal saw a modest increase in precept in the face of a major cutback from central government alongside spending on the town centre, the towns 3 community centres in Hamp, Sydenham and Victoria, a special 70th anniversary grant for the Bridgwater Arts Centre and use of reserves to match-fund key projects attracting EDF ‘mitigation’ money including enhancement works to Blake Gardens, the Town Centre, Taunton Road and South Bridgwater .

The budget also saw a speeding up or works to the Town hall and plans for a major sports facility in Eastover. Continue reading “Town Council goes for Growth to attract extra funding”

SDC ‘Special Council’ approves Northgate Masterplan

Location for the school building - currently the site of the historic workhouse hospital
Blake Hospital, proposed site of the new Northgate school. But should the building be saved, the materials re-used or simply demolished?

At today’s Special meeting of Sedgemoor District Council the master-plan, showing high-level indicative plans, for Northgate in Bridgwater was approved by councillors. The master-plan now gives a firm indication to developers as to what Sedgemoor District and Somerset County Council wish to see on the site.

A statement put out jointly by the two land owning authorities states that they are hoping to achieve the following:-
• High quality design and sustainability standards envisioned for the site
• New spaces and buildings to provide and encourage activity and sense of place
• Enhancement of the Brewery Fields to provide multi-use high quality green space
• Provision of enhanced links between the town centre and the docks (Celebration Mile)
• Sufficient and well located public car parking provision
• Access arrangements appropriate to the development proposed
• Viable and deliverable mixed use development including retail, leisure and residential
• New 420 place-primary school and 26 place nursery to be provided

With the master-plan  agreed, a planning application for the entire site will be prepared to include a detailed application for a school and an outline application for the remaining uses. Once planning permission is obtained, the site will be marketed. This is projected for the first half of 2016. Continue reading “SDC ‘Special Council’ approves Northgate Masterplan”