HUNDREDS of people turned out for a community day event at a mosque in Taunton.
Held on October 12, more than 300 visitors headed to the Taunton Central Mosque & Islamic Centre to share experiences on different communities and learn more about the Islamic faith.
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The organisers had arranged food and drinks, various rooms where they had activities for the children, calligraphy (writing your name in Arabic and you copying it onto a board), the history of Taunton Mosque, a room on the Islamic faith, and people were invited to watch prayers.
Many Muslims, men and women, were available all throughout the day, welcoming people and answering any questions from the public.
An event organiser and Taunton Central Mosque and Islamic Centre representative, said: "The idea for the open day was born out of the recent challenges faced by many places of worship.
"We realised we had two choices: to build our walls higher, or to open our doors wider and welcome others in. We chose the latter — and in return, we were met with an outpouring of love, warmth, and support that deeply moved us.
"People travelled from all over Somerset to be with us today, to learn more about our mosque and our local Muslim community."
Guests included the Mayor of Taunton councillor Martin Straus, Gideon Amos MP, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset Mr Mohammed Saddiq, and Ms Sheila Wheeler, deputy lieutenant of Somerset.
The event was positively received by many who attended, with wide respect from the Taunton community.
Helal Thafader, chair trustee of Taunton Central Mosque and Islamic Centre, said: "The turnout today has been truly incredible and beyond any of our expectations.
"We welcomed over 300 people through our doors from a diverse range of backgrounds and faiths, giving us the opportunity to meet and build vital connections with our local community at a time when it feels more needed than ever."
Local resident, Lianne Vessier, said the event was 'welcoming, informative and an asset for the whole community'.
“Really inspirational, interesting and nice to know and learn more about other communities," said Kelly Bartlett, another local resident.
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