South Asian Heritage Month 2024 Begins Today!

As part of South Asian Heritage Month 2024, Active Together would like to highlight and showcase some of the amazing activity taking place within our local South Asian communities across different faiths and cultures. Over the course of the month we will be posting news articles and social media that focus on some of the key themes for South Asian Heritage Month 2024. Our first story is shared by Mubarak (Mubs) Sheikh who is using running to connect communities and get people active.

"Physical activity has been a cornerstone of my life, providing me with a wealth of benefits that I am passionate about sharing with others. As an avid runner, my journey in fitness began in 2016 taking up the Leicester Half Marathon. Since then it has profoundly shaped my daily life and overall well-being. Running is my primary form of physical activity and over the years, I have participated in numerous marathons, each one offering a unique challenge and a sense of accomplishment.

As Community Lead for the Muslim Runners community, I support and uplift our South Asian community in the UK through programs like social runs and Couch to 5K initiatives, supporting runners from all walks of life, many of whom were previously not active. We aim to empower the community to look after their physical and mental well-being. The strength and unity within our community have created a sense of belonging and resilience, profoundly impacting my life by fostering strong relationships and a supportive network.

Our Muslim Running Community are regularly involved in running and volunteering at the Parkrun at Victoria Park in Leicester every Saturday mornings. Our community members have attended major events including the London Marathon and will be involved in other activities this year including:

• London 10K - 14 July 2024

• Birmingham Running Festival 21 July 2024

• Battersea Half Marathon - 27 July 2024

• Big Half - Sunday 1st September 2024

• Great North Run - 8th September 2024

• Malham Cove Trail Half Marathon - Sunday 14th September 2024

• Leicester Half Marathon / 10K - 13th October 2024

• Valencia Marathon - 1st December 2024

We offer a range of monthly hikes inspiring Muslims to enjoy the great outdoors hiking in places like the Lake District, Snowdon, Yorkshire, Kent and Scotland click here for more information - Muslim Hikers Events - 6 Upcoming Activities and Tickets | Eventbrite

We're really excited to be hosting our first Triathlon on Sunday 21 July at Frisby lake near Melton Mowbray – more details here - Tri If You Can Triathlon | Active Together (active-together.org)"

South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) first took place in 2020 and runs from the 18th of July to the 17th of August each year. SAHM seeks to commemorate, mark and celebrate South Asian cultures, histories, and communities. The month seeks to understand the diverse heritage and cultures that continue to link the UK with South Asia. For more information please visit: https://southasianheritage.org.uk/about-the-south-asian-heritage-month/ Here you will find a wealth of information and resources about SAHM and how you can get involved celebrating the amazing communities and people across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland who are of South Asian Heritage.