Residents of Ash and Ash Vale welcomed the New Year with a positive act of community spirit as volunteers came together on New Year’s Day for a clean-up around the Ash Vale Station area.
The event was organised by Nasser Bhatti, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Ash, with support from Ash Parish Council and St Mary’s Church, Ash Vale. Volunteers focused on streets identified as priority areas by local councillors, helping ensure the village starts the year clean, welcoming, and well cared for.
This initiative reflects a long-standing tradition of service within the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which promotes care for the environment and responsibility towards neighbours as an integral part of faith.
A representative of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Ash said:
“This clean-up is about bringing people together and doing something positive for the place we all call home. We are grateful for the support of Ash Parish Council and St Mary’s Church, and we hope this initiative strengthens the sense of unity and shared responsibility within our village.”
After the clean-up, volunteers and residents were invited to warm up and socialise over refreshments at St Mary’s Community Hall, creating an opportunity to meet neighbours and celebrate the collective effort.
The event was open to everyone – long-standing residents and newcomers alike. Families, individuals, and community members of all backgrounds are encouraged to join future initiatives and help make a difference.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has also published the following statement.
Muslim Youth Kick Off 2026 by Cleaning the Streets of Surrey and Hampshire
Muslim volunteers marked the first day of 2026 by taking to the streets across the UK to carry out a nationwide New Year’s Day clean-up.
Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community organised a Community Clean-up, where they partnered with local residents to clean up the streets. The event was promoted via social media and printed flyers were handed to residents.
While many residents were sleeping after the previous nights celebration, around 160 Muslim members from Farnham, Ash, Farnborough, Aldershot, Bordon and Bournemouth gathered after the dawn prayers with 40 other local residents and members of the local church in multiple locations to clean streets, car parks and public spaces. Equipped with litter pickers and bin bags, the volunteers worked in teams to help give their local areas a clean and positive start to the new year.
The community has held New Year’s day clean-ups throughout the country. The annual initiative is rooted in Islamic teachings that emphasise cleanliness and service to society. For the young volunteers, the clean-up represents a practical expression of faith and a commitment to the communities they live in.
The initiative also comes at a time when public discourse can often feel divided. Through positive action, the community hopes to highlight shared values of responsibility and community spirit that bring people together, regardless of background or belief.
“We’re so pleased to have them and join with them.” said Revd. Neil Lambert, who joined the clean-up in the morning.
“It’s the first time we’re doing it in Ash as an organised event, and there’s four different groups [to complete the clean-up]” said organiser Nasser Bhatti from the community.
Local residents across the country welcomed the efforts, with many stopping to thank volunteers as they worked through the morning. AMYA says the initiative will continue to be a core part of its community service work throughout the year.
The worldwide leader and Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, consistently encourages young people to serve their communities and contribute positively to society through meaningful action. It is under this guidance that the members of AMYA give up their time for the communities they live in.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association is the UK’s largest Muslim youth organisation and regularly undertakes charitable and community initiatives under its guiding motto, ‘Love for All, Hatred for None.’