England: Peterborough’s largest mosque organizes first drug and alcohol awareness campaign

A first in Cambridgeshire: the Faizan-E-Madina mosque in Peterborough, a two-hour drive from London, has just hosted a drug and alcohol prevention workshop. This initiative, which brought together families and young people from the community, marks a turning point in the approach to these issues that have long been silenced.

“Attitudes are changing, but it remains difficult to discuss these subjects openly,” explains Dr Azhar Chaudhry, who practices in a working-class district of the city. According to this doctor of Pakistani origin, the prevalence of addictions within the local Muslim community is worrying.

Raja Alyas, from the local Aspire association, welcomes this “historic step forward”. His organization, in conjunction with municipal services, now offers confidential consultations at Thistlemoor Medical Center to support people in difficulty.

The success of this meeting encouraged the mosque committee to plan other sessions, particularly dedicated to women. A strong signal for the community.

A pillar of community health since his arrival in 2001, Dr. Chaudhry does not stop there. He regularly runs workshops on life-saving actions, diabetes prevention and cancer screening.