Kind mosque families raise £500 to help twins' parents
MEMBERS of a Swansea mosque have raised £500 in just 48 hours to help a couple who say they are struggling to visit their premature twins in hospital.
Families at the Swansea University site said they were inspired to help after reading about the story in the Evening Post.
Unemployed David Williams and his partner Tracey Davies of Briton Ferry said they had been forced to skip meals as they claim they can scarcely afford to cover the cost of a bus ticket to see month-old Jade and Kacey at Swansea's Singleton Hospital.
Morriston-based Mustaf Mukhaiber, who attends the mosque, said he was amazed at the amount of cash that rolled in during such a short space of time.
He said: "We were sitting after prayers and one of our friends came in with the copy of the Evening Post.
''We were all touched by the story and we opened up the collection to everyone in the mosque.
Surprised
"We started collecting the money and thought if we could raise hundreds of pounds it would be great.
"But we couldn't believe we raised £500 in 48 hours — we were really surprised."
It is not the first time that members of the Swansea University mosque have dug deep into their pockets to help support charities.
Mustaf said: "We gave £2,000 to Ty Olwen before.
"Everyone has been so generous with contributing to this collection."
Since, the story about Mr Williams and his partner Miss Davies, aged 29, was featured in the Post, readers have been inundating them with offers of help.
Gifts have included cash for bus tickets to allow them to be able to see the twins, who are being cared for at Singleton's Special Care Baby Unit.
Supermarket vouchers, plus hundreds of pounds worth of gift parcels packed full of baby items and bags of special nappies have also been donated.
Mr Williams, 51, who has been surviving on £100 a month after bills, has had to take out two crisis loans of £99.06 and around £50 to be able to survive and cover the cost of two £19 weekly bus tickets to see their daughters.
Claim
The dad, who was previously self-employed, had been unable to claim for Jobseeker's Allowance after becoming unemployed.
Mr Williams said he was grateful for all the support they had received from readers.
He said: "I am staggered. I know everyone is stuck for money but the donations will help the babies.
''We cannot thank people enough for their kindness. It has really touched us."
elizabeth.perkins@swwmedia.co.uk
19 Comments
View all
by Jamoboii
Thursday, February 02 2012, 10:02PM
“Shouldn't Mr Williams declare the kind donations he has recieved to the DWP?”
by Walesforever
Thursday, February 02 2012, 9:47PM
“When is the Evening Post going to delve into the full circumstances of Mr Williams and his partner, and why they find themselves in the position they are ?
Why is he unemployed ?
Why has he paid no contributions ?
Why / how did he come to get himself into debt ?
Is he declared bankrupt ?
Has he looked at all for any employment ?
How many people does he owe money to ?
Does he have no family that could help him ?
Friends ?
Answers to these questions need to addressed, and publicly, being as Mr Williams allowed himself to placed in the public domain.
The Evening Post has a responsibility in this matter, as it through them so many people have been misled.”
by Dooyah
Thursday, February 02 2012, 8:32PM
“@huwwuh
From the news item above:-
"It is not the first time that members of the Swansea University mosque have dug deep into their pockets to help support charities.
Mustaf said: "We gave £2,000 to Ty Olwen before."
You did not confine your original request to "South Wales or Swansea".
"muslim...... terror, bomb, death and destruction the same sentence"?
Please give examples from South Wales Evening Post reporters writing about events in South Wales.”
by huwwuh
Thursday, February 02 2012, 8:13PM
“Dooyah,
In South Wales or Swansea. `not the rest of the world or even the moon. This is a local paper and a local issue.”
by Dooyah
Thursday, February 02 2012, 6:11PM
“@huwwuh
A quick search using Google. There are more examples.
Manchester Muslims donate to Christian Community Centre
http://tinyurl.com/7acba3n
Muslims donate $26,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository
http://tinyurl.com/7t7qoey
Muslim donation delivers half-ton of food to Crossroads center
http://tinyurl.com/7jjgjo4
AMYA's Remembrance day " Poppy Campaign
http://tinyurl.com/88xs4gc
I remember seeing a news item about a muslim school where pupils raised a large sum of money for the Annual Remembrance Poppy Appeal - It was in a local London newspaper, but the national dailies did not report it.”
by huwwuh
Thursday, February 02 2012, 5:17PM
“This is the first time I have ever read of members of a mosque donating money to anyone. It's obvious they are beginners at this because they have chosen the most unpopular couple in the area.
If my first sentence is incorrect please feel free to offer examples.
It's refreshing to read the word muslim without reading the words terror, bomb, death and destruction the same sentence.”
by scuffs1
Thursday, February 02 2012, 4:55PM
“what a load of rubbish, they are con merchants”
by Dooyah
Thursday, February 02 2012, 12:24PM
“@Upperbank
This website is: "Copyright © 2012 Northcliffe Media Limited.
All Rights Reserved."
Scroll to the bottom of the page and look.”
by sparrow21
Thursday, February 02 2012, 10:59AM
“What a crock.......Wake up people, they are cons..”
by UpperBank
Wednesday, February 01 2012, 3:03AM
“I AM DISGUSTED. I don't know why, but I'm sure this story will polarise opinion to the extent I will just rely on Northcliffe newspapers to form my outlook on life.”