London: Finsbury Park mosque wins major community award

Finsbury Park Mosque

Faith and community leaders have praised Finsbury Park Mosque in north London, after it was awarded the 'Visible Quality Mark' by Community Matters. Finsbury Park Mosque (FPM) is the first mosque and the third faith organisation in the country to receive the award.

FPM is a registered charity in the UK, serving the local community in Islington and surrounding boroughs of north London, and working with everyone to promote dialogue and understanding in our multi-cultural society. The centre activities include community gathering, youth and welfare services, IT and ESOL courses, regular surgeries for the local MP and councillors and educational projects for children and adults. Community Matters is the national membership and support organisation for the community sector, it champions voluntary and community action at neighbourhood level, as a means of local people taking control of issues in their area and fostering community spirit. Its vision is for active and sustainable communities in which everyone is valued and can play their full part.
 
The Charity Commission only endorses quality systems that meet its challenging benchmark for comprehensive, robust and objective assessments of how charities are run. Endorsed quality systems encourage compliance and accountability, and test for those key aspects of a charity's governance that are most likely to produce a well-run, accountable and sustainable organisation. 
 
Mohammed Kozbar, Chair of Finsbury Park Mosque said: “It is great to achieve the Visible communities award after almost two years of hard work, we are proud to be the first mosque and the third faith organisation in the UK to achieve this award, it gave us the confidence to improve the standard of operation and accountability of our organisation”.

Barbara Kentish, from Westminster Justice and Peace, a parishioner at St Thomas More's Manor House, commented: "We are delighted that our friends at Finsbury Park Mosque have won this community award. We very much enjoyed working with them during the Finsbury Park Community Games over three consecutive years and look forward to future cooperation."

Fr David Ardagh-Walters, Parish Priest at St Mellitus, Tollington Park, said: "They well deserve this award especially for their youth and community work around here. They are admirably open, friendly and straightforward. In many unexpected ways they seem to practise what Pope Francis teaches."

MP Jeremy Corbyn said: “Congratulations to the staff at Finsbury Park Mosque! Your hard work and good results that are so valuable within our community deserve this wider recognition. It can be tough for charities in this climate, yet despite that you have been able to demonstrate high standards in all areas across your organisation. This endorsed standards award can give the public confidence that this charity is well run and give any funders assurance about how their money is being spent.”