SMILES AND MEMORIES CREATED AT INSPIRE EID FESTIVAL IN A SUNNY LEWSEY PARK

Thousands of smiles were created at Inspire FM’s community Eid festival over the weekend.

The two-day Inspire Eid festival was held at Lewsey Park in Luton on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 July to celebrate Eid al-Adha.

The festival featured heavily discounted funfair rides, family activities, international food and stage performances.

Inspire FM’s Station Operations Manager, Mohammed Tariq, said: “It was wonderful seeing everyone smiling and having a great time with their families and friends.”

“Making the day affordable is an important aspect of Inspire Eid to ensure every family can enjoy the celebrations without worrying about the costs.”

A key part of the festival was the ‘Every Child Smiles’ campaign which was a collaboration with local schools and organisations to provide free ride tokens to families who need a little extra support.

“Pioneer Learning Trust were delighted to support Inspire FM with their incredible ‘Every Child Smiles’ initiative which ensured that families have an amazing time at the community Eid festival,” said Cori Bateman, CEO of Pioneer Learning Trust.

Cori added: “Initiatives like this allow struggling families to be part of the fun which they would have missed out on otherwise.”

Chantry and Southfield, of the Pioneer Learning Trust, were some of the schools involved.

Inspire Eid brings communities together irrespective of faith and background. Inspire FM worked with The Raise Up Foundation to bring children from refugee families so they too could enjoy the festival.

The Mayor of Luton, Cllr Sameera Saleem spoke on stage at the event and said: “Inspire FM do a tremendous job in bringing the community together to celebrate Eid affordably. And that’s so important with the current climate.”

Other speakers included MP Sarah Owen, MP Rachel Hopkins, Cllr Aslam Khan and Altaf Hussain (Luton Sixth Form College).

The bi-annual festival was supported by key partners Luton Sixth Form College and Barnfield College.

Inspire FM would like to thank its key partners and supporters for making the event possible: Aegis Training, Bartham Group, Liberty Law Solicitors, Tops Pizza, Chiltern Learning Trust, The Raise Up Foundation, Hannah Solicitors, VEO Logistics, Venue Central, The Mall Luton and Mayday Vehicle Rentals.

The radio station would also like to thank the festival volunteers, vendors, Luton Council, D&G Amusements, EAE Tutoring, Luton Foodbank and Connect4Causes for supporting the event.

If you attended the festival, leave your feedback here:  www.inspirefm.org/inspire-eid-feedback