The Three Meem Foundation provides an array of sports and activities tailored to cater to a wide variety of interests, ages, and skill levels. Integral to their program lineup is swimming, offered separately for both men and women, fostering physical health and community engagement in a fun, effective manner. The organisation also facilitates other sports, such as cricket and badminton, encouraging physical fitness and strategic thinking for all ages.

The foundation features specialised sessions for women, including Pilates and Taekwondo classes, each designed to enhance core strength, flexibility, and defence skills. Furthermore, women’s swimming sessions provide an additional opportunity to stay fit while honing swimming skills in a comfortable environment. The foundation coordinates women’s walking groups, promoting social interaction, outdoor enjoyment, and consistent fitness.

The foundation arranges weekly martial arts programs for boys to stimulate personal development. Men’s weekly football sessions are also available, fostering team spirit and friendly competition.

The Three Meem Foundation is a crucial pillar within local communities, facilitating various sports and activities promoting health, personal growth, and unity. By addressing various interests and skill levels, they significantly contribute to the vitality and cohesion of the communities they serve.

Three Meem Foundation has arranged the below sports activities for the local community.
  • Womens-only swimming facility (operated by female lifeguards)
  • Womens Pilates
  • Women’s Badminton
  • Women’s Taekwondo
  • Womens Walking Group
  • Men’s Walking Group
  • Men’s Swimming
  • Men’s Badminton
  • Men’s Cricket
  • Boys Football
  • Boys Cricket
  • Boys Karate classes
  • Men’s Table tennis
  • Five-a-side football

 

SWIMMING

Three Meem has been instrumental in making strides toward providing culturally aligned swimming facilities for Muslim women. Traditionally, the major obstacle that has prevented Muslim women from enjoying swimming has been the lack of cultural sensitivity in the design of facilities, including privacy in changing rooms, showers, and public viewing areas.

Our initiative began in October 2021, securing long-term swimming facilities bookings at Sale Leisure Centre, which continued until the end of 2022 with bi-weekly sessions on Thursdays and Fridays. From January 2023, we transitioned to offering sessions at Stretford Leisure Centre every Saturday from 3-4 p.m. These sessions have allowed women to swim in a safe, comfortable, and private environment, with both centres graciously providing a female lifeguard for accommodation.

We plan to introduce a “Swimming for beginners” training programme to enhance this initiative and have requested a dedicated female instructor. Our waiting list for these swimming sessions has swelled to over 100 women. With such high demand, we plan to add more sessions from mid-August, specifically designed to cater to women who do not work. However, we are constrained by limited available slots and the availability of female staff.

Additionally, to promote a healthy lifestyle among men, we launched swimming sessions for men at Stretford Leisure Centre, starting 4th July. These sessions are held every Tuesday from 9-10 p.m., and we plan to increase the number of days based on availability. Link for registering for men’s registration is – https://3meem.org/mens-swimming/

Pilates

Pilates is a comprehensive workout method that uniformly strengthens the body, focusing on building core strength for enhanced overall fitness and well-being. It improves posture, muscle tone, balance, and joint flexibility but also aids in alleviating stress and tension. Individuals of any age, fitness level or skill level can adopt Pilates.

Should you have any medical conditions or injuries, it’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional or GP before commencing any new fitness programme.

Fortunately, We have an extremely experienced Pilates specialist, Safiya Florence Ascoli-Ball, leading our classes. These sessions occur every Tuesday from 7-8 pm at the Sale Leisure Centre, Studio 2. The class currently holds a maximum of 22 participants and is fully booked. However, watch for additional sessions, which will be added shortly.

Taekwondo

Taekwondo, a conventional Korean martial art, is a comprehensive physical workout. This sport is distinguished by its unique blend of kicking and punching techniques and is also a medium for learning patience and discipline. We are privileged to have Safiya Florence Ascoli-Ball, a seasoned Taekwondo expert with a 2nd Dan black belt, instructing our Monday classes at the Sale Leisure Centre. With a class size of 30 currently at capacity and a growing waitlist, we are considering the addition of another session. Safiya and her team captivated us with a remarkable performance at our community event in March 2023.

Badminton

Badminton serves as a multifaceted fitness regimen that engages the entire body. It enhances cardiovascular health, tones muscles, strengthens bones and promotes social interaction and mental wellbeing. Beyond the physical benefits, this sport also bolsters mental health by stimulating strategic thinking and concentration, while physical activity can alleviate stress and enhance mood. Men’s sessions, conducted twice weekly at the Sale Leisure Centre sports hall, offer an excellent platform to participate in this invigorating sport, foster relationships, and improve skills in a supportive environment.

Men’s sessions are held regularly at the Sale Leisure Centre sports hall, providing an excellent opportunity to engage in this invigorating sport. Our schedules include two weekly sessions: one on Wednesday evenings, from 6 pm, and one on Saturday from 8:45 to 9:45 am. This frequency gives enthusiasts multiple opportunities to participate, practice, and improve their skills in a friendly, supportive environment.

Payment link https://3meem.org/pay/mens-badminton/

Walking Groups

The women’s walking group continues to be a much-loved exercise activity, known for its charm of uniting health and camaraderie. The allure of stepping out into the freshness of the morning, with dew-kissed grass underfoot and a soft palette of sunrise colours in the sky, has proven irresistible to our growing community of walkers. These hour-long walks, filled with warm conversation, shared laughter, and communal silence, weave strong bonds of friendship while keeping participants physically fit and mentally robust. This experience transcends the realm of simple exercise, becoming a robust social connector that nurtures personal relationships among the members.

We convene at the serene Goodwood field every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, a location known for its green landscape and tranquil atmosphere to our group strolls, complementing the calming rhythm of footsteps with the freshness of nature. Whether a seasoned walker or a novice, the women’s walking group welcomes you with open arms, offering a space to prioritise your wellbeing and foster friendships. Join us on this journey towards fitness, health, and a stronger community.

Healthy Hips and Hearts Exercises

The “Healthy Hips and Hearts Exercises” program was established through a collaborative effort between Public Health England, Sheffield Hallam University, the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, and Sport England. This initiative falls under the broader “Active at Home” campaign, designed to foster physical activity amongst individuals in quarantine due to COVID-19. The exercise regimen involves structured, progressive routines performed while seated, using a chair for support. This makes it accessible to individuals across all disability levels.

These exercises are particularly advantageous for individuals who have arthritis, specifically those with knee or hip complications and those facing cardiovascular and respiratory issues—the diverse props utilised throughout the program help to fortify muscles. During the pandemic, Sister Ibrat Naeem conducted a weekly social group for women over Zoom to facilitate community interaction and support mental health. This online gathering was incredibly beneficial during the lockdown, providing a much-needed outlet for social connection and mental wellbeing. We will be restarting the in-person exercise preprogramme; watch the space!

Football

The Three Meem Foundation, known for its commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles and community involvement, has introduced a unique initiative – weekly indoor football sessions. These sessions are scheduled every Friday from 8-9 pm and have been a constant fixture since their inception on January 13th, 2023. The program was developed to encourage regular physical activity while fostering camaraderie and team spirit among participants.

These indoor football sessions offer an excellent opportunity for individuals to engage in a fun, competitive sport, regardless of their skill level. More than just a physical workout, they serve as a platform for social interaction, fostering community ties and promoting wellbeing. In this safe, inclusive environment, participants can build their football skills, improve their fitness levels, and enjoy the benefits of a regular group activity. It’s an initiative that beautifully combines sports’ benefits with community-building goals.

Martial Arts (KyoKushin, The Strongest Karate)

Martial arts is a powerful tool for enhancing mental and physical health, playing a crucial role in a child’s development. It offers many benefits, such as boosting self-confidence, fostering discipline and mutual respect, honing decision-making and social skills, improving balance, coordination, and flexibility, and teaching self-defence. Additionally, it has an overall positive impact on general health. After the lockdown, Three Meem Foundation has resumed its martial arts classes at a new location – the Sale Leisure Centre. The sessions are held every Monday evening from 7.30 to 8.30 pm, rather than on Sundays. We are fortunate to have the expertise of Sensei Adeel Khan and his team, who have been leading these classes. Their students demonstrated commendable martial arts skills at our recent community awards event in March 2023.

Children 8-week Cricket Course  age 5-11 years

We organised an exhilarating 8-week cricket course in collaboration with ECB, hosting almost 50 children at the Trafford MV cricket ground. This cricket training programme was strategically divided into two segments, each catering to different age groups of children. The incredible success of this 8-week cricket course wouldn’t have been possible without the dedicated assistance of our volunteers, Omer and Fraz, along with Coach Jordon from ECB. Their combined efforts significantly contributed to the outstanding execution of the program.

The All Stars Cricket segment was specially designed as an introductory course for children aged 5-8 years old. Across eight fun-filled weeks, we provided a fantastic experience featuring various activities and skill development exercises. The programme aimed to familiarise the children with the sport, impart new skills, promote friendships, and ensure they had an enjoyable time. This portion of the course saw participation from 25 enthusiastic children.

The Dynamos Cricket segment, on the other hand, served as the perfect initiation into the sport for new cricket aspirants aged 9-11 years. This program was tailored to be more socially engaging, emphasising the development of fundamental movement skills. The children could apply these skills in an engaging game of countdown cricket. We had an equal number of children, 25, who participated in this 8-week course and derived complete enjoyment from playing cricket.

Adult Indoor Cricket

Indoor cricket is a variant of conventional cricket specifically designed to be played in indoor sports arenas. The rules of indoor cricket vary slightly from traditional outdoor cricket, but the basic concept, which involves two teams using a cricket bat and ball, remains the same. Since it’s played indoors, it’s perfect for continuing the cricketing passion throughout autumn, winter, and early spring, when outdoor conditions might not be favourable for cricket or other outdoor sports.

The Three Meem Foundation’s annual indoor cricket tournament continues this trend. Starting in 2021, the foundation has regularly hosted this event during the year’s colder months, from autumn through spring. This likely offers cricket enthusiasts the chance to engage in their favourite sport all year round, despite weather conditions.

Indoor cricket can be a fantastic opportunity for people to stay active and fit during the off-season, as it requires a similar level of physical exertion to outdoor cricket. It also offers an excellent platform for players to maintain their skills or even develop new ones, as the indoor format often requires faster reaction times due to the enclosed space and quicker pace of the game.

The Three Meem Foundation, by hosting such a tournament, shows its commitment to promoting sports and fitness activities. It’s an excellent initiative that likely strengthens community bonds, promotes healthy competition, and fosters a sense of camaraderie among participants.

The end in March would likely mark the arrival of spring in most places, making outdoor cricket viable again and an excellent way to keep the sport alive throughout the year.