Places of worship in Wolverhampton to reopen
Places of worship across Wolverhampton are set to welcome back worshippers since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Wolverhampton Council has worked with premises to ensure they are Covid-secure ahead of reopening.
Among them is the Jaamia Masjid Aqsa – Wolverhampton Mosque Trust – on Waterloo Road, which has been deep cleaned and systems put in place to maintain social distancing, including a one-way system, floor markings, marked prayer spaces and screened cubicles for worship.
Trained volunteers are also available to support worshippers, Friday prayers will take place in staggered sessions and people are required to enter and exit through different doors. Temperatures, along with contact details for NHS Test and Trace, are taken on arrival at the mosque and a sanitising station has been set up outside. People are also required to bring their own prayer mat and face coverings.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “Faith leaders in Wolverhampton have worked extremely hard over the last few months, firstly in ensuring that lockdown measures are strictly adhered to in order to protect lives and now in reopening their churches, temples and mosques in a Covid-secure manner.
“They have been meeting with our director of public health, John Denley, and prevent and cohesion officer, Deborah Smith, on a regular basis since March, working together to address questions and concerns in the community and to keep them informed of the evolving guidance.
“We have also shared with them a wide range of resources to help them reopen, including signage and support in completing their risk assessments, and it’s great that they are able to safely welcome people of all faiths safely once more.”
Jaamia Masjid Aqsa vice chair and minister of religion, Rashid Raja, added: "During the Covid outbreak, we kept the mosque closed as per national guidelines and, when the opening began, we phased it to individual worship and then for collective worship.
"Preservation of life comes first, and we have put in place all the measures we possibly could for our community."
