Empowering the local community
Milton Keynes is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK. Much of this growth has been accommodated on the peripheries of the city, with a particular focus on strategic land allocations and expansions located within the east and north of the city.
More than 3,000 Muslims now live within the areas of Broughton, Brooklands, Glebe Farm, Eagles Farm, and Woburn Sands. Although Milton Keynes is not short of mosques and Islamic centres, these facilities are concentrated within the spine of the city and are therefore distant from the new housing developments on the edge of the city. Increasing traffic and congestion means that it often takes more than 10 minutes to drive to the nearest mosque. While travel times and distances are not necessarily an obstacle for many, this does not support sustainable patterns of travel or the promotion of local community networks.
Responding to this context, Milton Keynes East Muslim Community (MKEMC) has been established. MKEMC is a registered charity (no. 1210287) and seeks to primarily serve the spiritual, social, and education needs of the Muslims located with the eastern suburbs of Milton Keynes and surrounding areas.