- Second annual Iftar takes place at Accu Stadium
- Event grows year on year to over 170 guests hosted in Riverside Club
- Event co-hosted by the Club, HTAFC Foundation and Eden Foundation

The second annual Iftar has recently taken place at Accu Stadium, which is a celebratory breaking of the fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

This year’s event was co-hosted by the Club, HTAFC Foundation and local Muslim faith charity The Eden Foundation. In an expanded event, over 170 hundred guests from across the local community came together with members from the three hosting organisations to share in the festivities. Also in attendance were Mayor of Kirklees Liz Smaje, Kirklees Council CEO Steve Mawson and Town Academy players Omari Mrisho, Mohammed Fikri, Hasan Niksic, KV Cheema and Zane Noor.

Master of Ceremonies Nadeem Mir QPM opened the event and reflected on how Ramadan is not only a time of fasting, but a reminder of the importance of community, compassion and kindness. Participants of the North Star youth group followed, speaking confidently about the social action they’ve been delivering in the community with the HTAFC Foundation as part of the Premier League Kicks programme.

The Mayor of Kirklees Cllr Liz Smaje then addressed the packed room and shared her strong belief in the many community benefits of people from all faiths coming together during Ramadan.

Following the Mayor’s speech, Molana Imran Hussain from the Eden Foundation delivered a powerful speech on fostering community integration and the power of Ramadan to empower this process, before signalling the call to prayer for the assembled guests to then retire for their spiritual reflection. When all returned to the Riverside Club, the Club hosted a buffet of traditional cuisine.

As part of the evening, Club staff treated attendees to a stadium tour, including the boardroom, dressing room and pitch side, with many of the guests experiencing Accu Stadium for the very first time.

Through events like this, the Foundation helps people GROW through cultural learning, THRIVE through shared wellbeing and community pride, and BELONG by building connections that reflect the rich diversity of OUR TOWN.

Huddersfield Town Head of HR and EDI Zoe Shackleton said:

“Hosting the Club’s second Iftar dinner was again a momentous occasion for us, and we were delighted to be joined by so many members and friends of the Muslim community in Kirklees.

“It’s fantastic that this has become an annual celebration and we are grateful to everyone who supported us to bring it to fruition, and of course also to all those who joined us to celebrate on the night. The sense of community amongst all the guests was palpable, and that’s something to carry with us throughout every day and year as a reminder of what we can achieve through kindness, respect, and appreciation of our differences.”

Huddersfield Town Foundation Chief Executive Officer Sam Dainty said:

"Our second annual Iftar was a powerful reflection of what makes our town so special. Bringing people together from different backgrounds, cultures and faiths is at the heart of our work, and this event truly showed how communities can connect and belong in shared celebration.

“Events like the Iftar create opportunities for individuals and families to grow through learning and understanding and encourage our communities to thrive by building meaningful relationships.

“We’re incredibly proud to work alongside the Club and the Eden Foundation to host such an important moment in the Ramadan calendar, and we are grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening so memorable.” 

Molana Imran Hussain, Trustee and Imam at the Eden Foundation said:

“At a time when public conversations can sometimes feel divided, moments like this remind us that communities grow stronger when people from different backgrounds meet with respect and goodwill.

“Ramadan encourages reflection, generosity and service to others. In that spirit, the Eden Foundation was privileged to work with Huddersfield Town Foundation and Huddersfield Town AFC to bring together leaders and community members from across Huddersfield to share Iftar at the Accu Stadium.

“We hope this gathering strengthens the growing relationship between our organisations and contributes to the continued wellbeing of our town.”

Founded in 2012, Huddersfield Town Foundation uses the power of OUR club to create opportunities, reduce inequalities and inspire lasting change for OUR community through the delivery of projects across Kirklees and the surrounding area.

The Foundation offers opportunities across education, health and youth engagement to deliver impactful, inclusive programmes that empower OUR TOWN to thrive.