stories Archives - The Courtney Foundation

“I never thought in an instance we’d have to be living separate lives”

Melissa Llewellyn 22/05/2020 No Comments

“I can’t go into work but my colleagues are there. With Open House, at the moment we’re serving food through the window and the conservatory, Monday and Wednesday at 1pm,…

“It is a blessing to have a big family where typically our lifestyle is often busy and challenging and now to make time for each other”

Melissa Llewellyn 18/05/2020 No Comments

“My name is Huma Qadeer, and I want to share my experience as an Ahmadi Muslim woman during Lockdown in Luton. I am married and blessed with five children aged…

“I have bad days and good days. Thankfully they are mostly good.”

Melissa Llewellyn 13/05/2020 No Comments

“My Name is Lauron Macauley and I am 24 years old. I have two children ages 8 and 4. Being in lockdown has been very different for my family. We…

“We cannot afford to fall ill because our children are very young and very dependent on us”

Melissa Llewellyn 12/05/2020 No Comments

“The lockdown has brought uncertainty and difficulty for me and my family but along with it came some blessings. My name is Zahra, I am an anaesthetics nurse and my…

“And not being able to see your family in Ramadan is so hard”

Melissa Llewellyn 12/05/2020 No Comments

“The hardest part of Ramadan in Lockdown is not being able to host Lantern’s Ladies Iftars. Each year we host over 150 women every Friday in Ramadan. The Iftars started…

“We have buried more people these last few weeks than we normally do in a year”

Melissa Llewellyn 10/05/2020 No Comments

“I feel like I am in constant state of emergency. Though our mosque buildings are closed, we are still here, and people are reaching out to us. I’m grateful for…

“Now, the blessed month of Ramadan is upon us and it is an experience like no other”

Melissa Llewellyn 02/05/2020 No Comments

Tasbih phiree ta dil na phiriya Ki lena tasbih phar ke hu [You have been turning your prayer beads, but without turning your heart (for the better). What do you…

“Every day feels the same now”

Melissa Llewellyn 02/05/2020 No Comments

“Every day feels the same now. I can’t distinguish one from the other. I feel like I am stuck in a time loop like Phil in Groundhog day. Pardon my…

“It has been a good time to reflect on what we can do for our families and for the community”

Melissa Llewellyn 02/05/2020 No Comments

“Our idea [as part of our UpRising social action campaign] is to create face masks using reusable materials. The idea behind this is to improve sustainability within Luton. But as…

“Now I know not to take the small things in life for granted”

Melissa Llewellyn 02/05/2020 No Comments

“Before the lockdown I was just a final year University student, working part time and a UpRiser. Now classes have moved online, I don’t get to see my friends and…

Category: stories