Female volunteers from the Dialogue Society visited a Retirement Home for Women and distributed bowls of home-made Ashura (Noah’s Pudding). Mrs Arzu Yilmaz gave a brief introduction about the dessert and explained that the tradition behind making such large quantities, was so that it could be shared with friends and neighbours.

The ladies expressed their appreciation and felt touched that they were remembered on such a day. Staff members of the Retirement Home also expressed their thanks to the volunteers and said the Dialogue Society was welcome to visit and organise future programmes anytime.

Description

An annual event organised to mark the traditional day of ‘Ashura’ where folk has it that Prophet Noah prepared a pudding from the last bits of food remaining on the Ark. Thousand of such bowls are prepared and distributed each year on this day by Dialogue Society supporters to friends, neighbours and the public in general to initiate and strengthen intercultural and intercommunal ties.

Volunteers and supporters are provided with a double fronted A5 card, which explains the origin of Noah’s Pudding, its recipe and the custom among Muslims to share this with neighbours and friends. Its purpose is to counter any reluctancy felt among first generation Muslims whose English is their second language. The idea is that the pudding bowl is presented with this card on top.

In its fourth year running, families have started to give out puddings to teachers and parents at their children’s school, neighbours living a few houses away and colleagues at work. Many volunteers explain that nearing that time of the year, people start asking for their puddings.

Objective

To open up communities towards one another and facilitate community cohesion at the grassroot level.