Muslim youth clean Bournemouth streets after New Year’s Eve
MUSLIM volunteers marked the first day of 2026 by taking to the streets across the UK to carry out a nationwide New Year’s Day clean-up.Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community organised a community clean-up, where they partnered with residents to clean up the streets. The event was promoted via social media and printed flyers were handed to residents.
While many residents were sleeping after the previous nights celebration, around 160 Muslim members from Farnham, Ash, Farnborough, Aldershot, Bordon and Bournemouth gathered after the dawn prayers with 40 other residents and members of the local church in multiple locations to clean streets, car parks and public spaces.Equipped with litter pickers and bin bags, the volunteers worked in teams to help give their areas a clean and positive start to the new year.The community has held New Year’s Day clean-ups throughout the country. The annual initiative is rooted in Islamic teachings that emphasise cleanliness and service to society.
For the young volunteers, the clean-up represents a practical expression of faith and a commitment to the communities they live in.The initiative also comes at a time when public discourse can often feel divided. Through positive action, the community hopes to highlight shared values of responsibility and community spirit that bring people together, regardless of background or belief.
“We’re so pleased to have them and join with them,” said Revd. Neil Lambert, who joined the clean-up in the morning.
“I have been doing this since I was a young boy. It is islamic values that have taught us to serve the community around us,” added organiser Haroon Khan, regional managing director of Dorset, Surrey and Hampshire.
Residents across the country welcomed the efforts, with many stopping to thank volunteers as they worked through the morning. AMYA says the initiative will continue to be a core part of its community service work throughout the year.The worldwide leader and Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, consistently encourages young people to serve their communities and contribute positively to society through meaningful action. It is under this guidance that the members of AMYA give up their time for the communities they live in.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association is the UK’s largest Muslim youth organisation and regularly undertakes charitable and community initiatives under its guiding motto, “Love for All, Hatred for None”.
