BRADFORD – The Muslim Global Relief (MGR) charity has been shortlisted for the ‘Charity of the Year’ title at the finals of the British Muslim Awards planned on January 31 in Bradford.

“This is a proud moment and it will give us more strength and courage to spread our work and engagement with everything from education to opera, from environment to health, from the consequences of the global refugee crisis to the need of employment in small and forgotten communities,” MGR officials expressed in a statement quoted by Asian Image.

The Nelson-based British charity organization focuses on humanitarian issues like relieving poverty and sickness all over the globe, particularly for those affected by natural disasters and wars.

“As a civil society organization, it gives us an opportunity to bring the most unlikely partners to create something extraordinary. We hope that these awards bring recognition, increase incredibility and open the doors to the future success of charities,” the statement continued.

MGR officials said that the nomination encouraged them to use their expertise in creating networks and building a common purpose between different groups and interests.

“It gave us the chance to understand other views so that we can bridge the profound chasms in our society,” they said.

“We believe that British Muslim Charities are making a positive contribution to people’s lives both here and overseas because putting the needs of others is at the heart of the Muslim faith and the values of Muslim Global Relief,” they expressed.

According to a 2014 census, the total population of Muslims in the United Kingdom was estimated to be 3,114,992.

BBC also said that Islam is the fastest growing religion the northwestern European country, and its adherents have the lowest average age out of all the major religious groups.

The largest ethnic groups of Muslims in the UK are Pakistanis and Bangladeshis. Smaller groups are Indians, Arabs, Kurds, Turks, and Africans.