Bag it up!

A local grocer has teamed up with Tower Hamlets Muslim Women’s Collective to launch re-usable shopping bags to help the environment.

Taj Stores was founded in 1936 and recently decided to stock the reusable bags in a bid to cut the amount of polythene sent to landfill.

The Muslim Women’s Collective, which is supported by Tower Hamlets Council, is a group of women from ten different organisations across the borough which is working to encourage the Muslim community to be more environmentally aware.

They have joined forces with Taj Stores to produce 5,000 of the bags which will be free to customers.

Jamal Uddin, director of Taj Stores said: “We are happy to be working with the Muslim Women’s Collective on such an important issue. Our business has been here for a long time and we want to think about protecting the environment for years to come. It is very important that people try to do their bit to help the environment.”

Chair of the collective, Sufia Alam from the Wapping Women’s Centre, said: “The importance of sustainable living in Muslim teaching underpins the work of the collective. This is a really powerful message that should not be underestimated.

“Since it launched, the collective has been delivering a programme of community-based environmental education programmes for local women. We were delighted to get involved with Taj Stores in encouraging people not to waste bags. So many are sent to landfill that taking a reusable one out shopping with you makes so much more sense.”

Tower Hamlets Council’s Lead Member for Cleaner, Safer, Greener Abdal Ullah will also attend on Friday. He said: “Taj Stores were founded in 1936 but they are definitely keeping up with the times. Everyone is now aware of the importance of recycling more and wasting less so this initiative with the Muslim Women’s Collective is to be highly commended.”

The large shopping bags feature the bright logos of the store and that of the Muslim Women’s Collective with the message.

CAPTION: Sufia Alam, Chair of Muslim Women's Collective, Joynal Uddin, Director Taj Stores, Cllr Ullah and Jamal Uddin, Director Taj Stores