Caring Luton mum helps Poppy Appeal

Huma Qadeer, 39, of Wychwood Avenue, stepped in after the Royal British Legion lost a volunteer for the appeal at the last minute.

Jo Ticehurst, community fundraising manager for the East, Royal British Legion, said: “Huma has single handedly organised the poppies for Sainsburys, and offered to sell them for us in Luton.”

Huma s the president of the ladies section of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association in Luton and believes in giving back to the community through charity.

As well as offering to sell the poppies provided by the Royal British Legion, she also got together ladies from the association community to knit poppies to sell to Sainsbury’s and Jolly Tots pre-school in Bramingham Park, with all proceeds donated to the RBL.

Huma said: “The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association will continue to help and work with the Royal British Legion as one of the principals of Islam is loyalty to one’s country.

“I was told by a customer at Sainsbury’s that they were proud I was representing the charity (in Luton). We have really enjoyed helping them.”

Huma is mother to five children aged between four and 14 who help with her charity work, and she has emphasised the importance of educating children and communities of the sacrifices made by those who fought in the wars.

“All the servicemen have served our country and the Poppy Appeal is for them as much as their families.

“It is important to educate children to respect our servicemen,” she said.

Jo said Huma’s help has been “absolutely fantastic and crucial to the Luton poppy appeal”, adding: “I wish to praise the support we can get from the Muslim community in times of hardship.”