A WOMEN'S group in Newport held a Ramadan iftar night and invited local police officers to show their appreciation for the work they do in the community.

The Welsh Sisters Circle, a community-based group in Newport, hosted an iftar night at Al-Taqwa mosque in Newport on Thursday, April 4.

They invited Gwent Police officers to join them for the breaking of their fast and a cuppa.

Iftar is a meal taken by Muslims at sundown to break the daily fast during Ramadan.

Lesley Wood, community cohesion officer at Gwent Police, was invited to the event and said their goal is to "make people feel comfortable" while making communities feel seen and heard.

South Wales Argus: Left to right: Claire Gibson, healthcare workers Tahmina Miah and Naheed Ashraf, Samina Lewis, Lesley Wood, Jasmin Maruf, Azra Sayed and Lady G.Left to right: Claire Gibson, healthcare workers Tahmina Miah and Naheed Ashraf, Samina Lewis, Lesley Wood, Jasmin Maruf, Azra Sayed and Lady G. (Image: Newsquest)

Samina Lewis, a community engagement officer that attended the iftar night on Thursday, said: "Our job also includes raising awareness within the officers like what to expect from communities and how to talk to them."

Ms Lewis gave an example of her work and said: "I did a talk on knife crime and hate crime and they wanted everyone to sit separately. Men and women separately.

"But we didn't want that division, especially given the topic."

Claire Gibson, positive action coordinator at the police force, said their job is also to "attract more diversity in operational roles".

South Wales Argus: Fruit, cakes and treats at the Ramadan iftar event, hosted by the Welsh Sisters Circle at Al-Taqwa mosque in Pill, Newport.Fruit, cakes and treats at the Ramadan iftar event, hosted by the Welsh Sisters Circle at Al-Taqwa mosque in Pill, Newport. (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Gibson added: "We wear a lot of hats. We recruit police officers and we're the friend people don't have, regularly doing check-ins too."

The event brought together almost 80 people from the local community in Pill as well as the wider Newport network.

Attendees at the event came from a host of different cultural backgrounds and ethnicities, something which Ms Wood believes is very important in their line of work.

She went on to say that the police are working with many different communities as each community "might appreciate this type of communication instead of that". 

South Wales Argus: A platter of treats brought in by one of the attendees of the iftar night at Al-Taqwa mosque in Pill, Newport.A platter of treats brought in by one of the attendees of the iftar night at Al-Taqwa mosque in Pill, Newport. (Image: Newsquest)

The event's aim was to highlight that no two communities respond to the same way of communication or the same language but can all come together for a shared purpose.

Claire Gibson, positive action coordinator, highlighted the importance of "breaking down barriers and talking through the ranks" by hosting events which are, for example, female-only like the one on Thursday or aimed at a particular community group.

CEO of the Welsh Sister's Circle and community leader, Jasmin Maruf, said: "things are starting to change, slowly. I really struggled to find my group of people. But it's grown, and grown."

South Wales Argus: Left to right: Claire Gibson, Samina Lewis, Lesley Wood, Jasmin Maruf, Azra Sayed and Lady G.Left to right: Claire Gibson, Samina Lewis, Lesley Wood, Jasmin Maruf, Azra Sayed and Lady G. (Image: Newsquest)

Similar events have been held around the city for the month of Ramadan to celebrate communities coming together to socialise and eat an evening meal together.

At the event, the officers gave baskets to the Welsh Sisters Circle while they gave specially-prepared gift bags in return.