More people than ever before are expected to visit the over 150 mosques participating in the third annual ‘Visit My Mosque’ Day on 5 February 2017.

Mosques across the England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be sharing tea and biscuits, alongside an insight into the day-to-day goings on of a busy Muslim centre of worship. Members of the public can find their nearest mosque online at: www.visitmymosque.org/find

#VisitMyMosque Day aims to provide a platform for Muslims to reach out to fellow Britons and explain their faith and community beyond the negative media headlines.

Visit My Mosque Day 2017 will also showcase how mosques are great British institutions. They do this by not only being a spiritual focal point, but also by serving their localities and helping people of all faiths and none by running food banks, feed-the-homeless projects, neighbourhood street cleans, local fundraising and much more.

For example, Khizra Mosque in Manchester has run a monthly food collection to support up to seven local families. While the Federation of Muslim Organisations in Leicestershire fundraised £20,000 in just three weeks for a new scanner at Glenfield Hospital. Worshippers at the East London Mosque donated 10 tonnes of food for the homeless at Christmas. Last year it was estimated that British Muslims gave approximately £100 million to charitable causes during the holy month of Ramadan: that’s approximately £38 a second.

Watch video on Visit My Mosque day. 

Visit My Mosque Day: 'A Great British Institution'

Harun Khan, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain said, “As the world recoils at President Trump's so called 'Muslim Ban' and now the mass killing at a mosque in Canada, #VisitMyMosque is a much needed antidote to the poisonous atmosphere we find ourselves in. This Sunday 5 February, the British public, Muslim and non-Muslim have an opportunity to come together and renew bonds of friendship.”

He continued, “Visit My Mosque Day is our chance to welcome fellow Britons to our diverse community. In previous years we were moved by how the great British public has taken part in the day, some travelling dozens of miles to find their local mosques, and the level of enthusiasm in the number of mosques who have invited their neighbours to share in the experience has increased each year. Now its third year, we hope that Visit My Mosque Day becomes a great British institution for years to come.”

Last year hundreds of comments were left by visitors on social media and at #VisitMyMosque. They included:

“Diane and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Warrington Islamic Society and Mosque,” Emily Goodler

“Such an interesting visit to Edinburgh Central Mosque today - thanks to all for such a warm welcome (and scrum my food),” Isla Jack

“Good to see the Surrey Police & Crime Commissioner and many residents inc. those from other faiths supporting #VisitMyMosque in Camberley,” Rodney Bates.

Visit My Mosque day on Sunday 5 February 2017 is open to men, women and children of all ages. Anyone can search for their nearest participating mosque at www.visitmymosque.org/find