Mosque serves thousands of meals during Ramadan

The mosque has been feeding students struggling with the cost-of-living crisis

Hundreds of Muslims have been breaking their fast during Ramadan in a Kent mosque, which has also been helping students with the cost of living.

In the last 10 days, Canterbury Mosque has served almost 5,000 meals to those attending Iftar - the evening breaking of the fast.

Imam Issa Hayajneh said: “This is an ever-growing community and every year the number certainly increases.”

The building started life as a four-bedroom house but has been entirely redesigned into a mosque that hosts hundreds each night.

The holy month of Ramadan sees Muslims worldwide refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours for 30 days.

The month is seen as a time for reflection and increased worship.

After sunset, the fast is broken with an evening meal, called iftar or fitoor.

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Imam Hayajneh said: “Our new extension allows people to come together as families to break the fast.

"For students, when times are tough, they find food but they also find a community.”

The mosque is run by volunteers with only two paid members of staff.

Much of the food given out is provided for free by local restaurants and donors.

Dr Maliha Karamat, the mosque's assistant general secretary said non-Muslims were also welcome to attend.

He said: "We are here for the community.

"We have meal vouchers for struggling families and help for local refugees. We are like a hub and everyone is welcome here.”

Dr Sinan Rawi was one of the founders of the Canterbury Mosque

The Canterbury Mosque was started by three people in 1976, who bought a four-bedroom house in Canterbury next to the university.

Dr Sinan Rawi was one of them and said the mosque was "still extremely convenient for students as they do not have to travel into town and can attend prayers during their lunch break".

One student said Ramadan can be "quite hard" on the body and mind so it was good to see others "in a similar position, who are also fasting long days as well, just to boost each other".