BRADFORD fundraiser Nazim Ali has said he is disappointed his planned trip to Malawi to deliver aid has had to be cancelled, but delighted that more than £21,000 has been raised to provide over 600, 42kg Ramadan food parcels to the most poverty stricken residents.

Nazim, from Manningham, was due to fly out last week with Shakeel Towasin from Keighley and Junaid Qureshi from Bradford who would have been going on their first ever aid trip.

"We are all disappointed we cannot go, but we know we will get the chance again and know too that the aid that is already out there which we have raised money for will be distributed where it is needed most by colleagues on the ground," said Nazim.

The trip was self-funded by the trio through Keighley-based Green Crescent Aid UK. Each parcel, costing £35 each, includes 10kg rice, 10kg maiz, five kg sugar, five litres cooking oil, five kg beans, two kg salt, three kg ground nuts, two kg dates, one chitinjee (traditional cloth) and sanitary products for the women.

Nazim last visited the country in October last year with Green Crescent Aid UK and was shocked by the sheer mass scale of the poverty he witnessed. "Families were living in mud built and straw roofed homes. They were walking miles to get clean water, children were visibly malnourished with often no footwear and lack of clothes. Homes had very few if any food items.

"During Ramadan many British Muslims will be fasting and have an abundance of food with our families. However, in Malawi families will be struggling for food in the sheer heat. Large families are surviving in many cases on one meal a day and often have to go to bed hungry," he added.

His fundraising page is still open in order to continue to be able to purchase aid which will be distributed on the ground in Malawi.

Anyone wishing to donate can do so at: www.justgiving.com/General313

J