Volunteering charity CSV will be working with BBC Radio Derby to run a series of features to increase understanding about Islam and highlight fascinating stories about members of Derby’s Muslim community. Listeners will also have the chance to phone in and ask a panel ‘anything they’ve always wanted to know about Islam but were afraid to ask.’

Helping to raise awareness in Islam will be:

• Julie who converted to Islam at the age of 22.
• Mohammed who risked his own cash to start an inner city education centre and has been recognised by the Prime Minister.
• Nasmin who was one of the first Asian women in the country to become a Special Constable for Derbyshire police.

The CSV Action Desk has worked with members of the local community including staff and volunteers from Radio Ikhlas, which broadcasts to people in inner city Derby. One of those involved, Raffein Azaim says: “Muslims were equally, if not more outraged and devastated by the actions of those bombers on 7/7. The world has changed but this should be an opportunity for us to build relationships, to understand one another far better than we perhaps did before. Unless we build community relations we’re always going to walk around with myths. Communication is the key.”

Louise Angell, CSV Action Desk Producer at BBC Radio Derby says “With all the misunderstanding and fear that surrounds Islam we thought it was time to readdress the balance and show that similarities between Muslims and non-Muslims far outweigh the differences between us.”

Features can be heard via the web on the BBC Radio Derby website at www.bbc.co.uk/derby

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For further information contact Paul Donohoe/Jason Tanner, CSV Press Office on 020 7812 0037 / 07779 624 385 / pdonohoe@csv.org.uk or Louise Angell, CSV Action Desk Producer on 01332 375 049 / louise.angell@bbc.co.uk

Notes for Editors

• CSV (Community Service Volunteers) is the UK's leading volunteering and training charity and creates opportunities for people to take an active part in the life of their community through volunteering, training and community action. Each year 195,000 people give 4.9 million hours of their time as volunteers through CSV. www.csv.org.uk

• CSV Action Desks are based at 36 BBC radio stations across England and encourage the nation to play a more active part in the life and well being of their community. Over the past five years CSV Action Desks have had over 300,000 responses from listeners, and handled 170,000 calls in reply to volunteer appeals amongst the sector. The CSV Action Desks have also helped 145,000 people get involved in life-long learning