A passionate volunteer is celebrating the success of a free eight-week sports festival at Victoria Park, which brought together children from all over east London.
Tower Hamlets resident and coach Muhi Mikdad, 30, says the All Star project, led by volunteers and run by London Sportif Club, has helped keep youngsters aged five-12 active during the summer holidays after months of lockdown.
The children from Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Newham, took part in activities like basketball, football and cricket.
Coach and London Sportif club director Muhi Mikdad with local young people and Deputy Speaker of Tower Hamlets Mohammed Ahbab Hossain.
– Credit: London Sportif
Parents set up the London Sportif club in 2017 for east London young people.
Muhi, who is also one of the club’s directors, said: “We want to make sure they make friends and stay active after months of lockdown and get them out in the open every week.”
The father-of-two from Stepney Green also volunteers with St John’s Ambulance once a week giving Covid jabs, as well as giving out food to homeless people at east London stations donated by Cornershop Super Store in Brockley.
Muhi Mikdad also volunteers with St John’s Ambulance administering Covid jabs.
– Credit: Muhi Mikdad
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Muhi is proud of his voluntary work and says his father, who lives in his birthplace Bangladesh, has “inspired” him to help others.
“When I was little my dad used to do all this social work and he used to take me there and get me involved.
“So from there it became a habit and now I’m passionate about helping people now. After my work I’m always there to do something.”
The passionate volunteer has also helped give out food to people in need during the Covid pandemic.
– Credit: Muhi Mikdad
The London Sportif club set up at Bromley-by-Bow now has more than 200 members across east London, takes part in the FA Cup and Inner London Football League, has five cricket teams playing in Middlesex County Cricket League and plays badminton with Badminton England.
Cricket is every Tuesday and Sunday at Victoria Park, with one team playing in the Middlesex league in Regent’s Park on Saturdays.
Football is at Hackney Marshes every Sunday in the summer and at Mile End stadium in winter.
Badminton is at the Newham Leisure Centre and SportsDock in Beckton for children five to 12 and adults over 18.
The club is appealing for new members – sign up online or call 07904 113087.
https://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/sports-summer-festival-in-victoria-park-8269996
