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Young Muslims from Swansea and Cardiff joined members of the local community for a street clean-up on New Year’s Day.

Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA) celebrated the New Year by hitting the streets across Britain armed with litter pickers, gloves, and bin bags as well as food for the homeless after a communal prayer at dawn.

The clean-up was part of the nationwide Big Street Clean and is one of several charity initiatives carried out by the group over the year such as blood donation sessions and helping the homeless.

(Image: Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association)

Youth leader for Swansea, Saqib Meer, said: “Our members have enjoyed living in Swansea for decades and so any opportunity to help our local community is much welcome.

“Cleaning the streets of Swansea also presents us with an opportunity to become better Muslims as cleanliness is an integral part of our faith.

“We are peace-loving British Muslims and will continue to do all we can to serve our local community as best we can and wherever there is a need.”

(Image: Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association)

In 2016 the AMYA helped raise almost £300,000 for various UK charities, planted 10,000 trees, and helped more than 10,000 people in the aftermath of floods earlier in the year.

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AMYA is a body of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, whose recent planning application for a mosque in Sanatorium Road, Cardiff, was the target of an anonymous leaflet protest.

Responding to criticism to the plans, Mr Ahmed said at the time: “There is a lack of education when it comes to Islam, which itself means peace. We are here for peace and love and we help support charities from the Poppy Appeal to Save the Children.”