Birmingham car wash raises funds for families and children in Gaza

BIRMINGHAM: A West Midlands car wash has been jet-washing vehicles in order to raise vital funds for the besieged people of Palestine.

VVS (Vehicle Valeting Solutions) Car Wash & Detailing in Sparkbrook had jets and sponges at the ready as they provided a snow foam wash to cars during a special charity day where all profits were donated towards humanitarian work in the Gaza Strip.

The Birmingham car cleaning specialists helped raise hundreds of pounds for charity ISRA-UK, for their Gaza emergency appeal which is sending humanitarian aid directly into the Palestinian city under authorisation of the nation’s ministry of social welfare.

A long-term supporter of the Palestinian cause, VVS has been fundraising for the people of Palestine for several years, with an uptick more recently following last October’s renewed military onslaught by the Israeli state.

Tabassum Bibi, a volunteer and fundraiser for ISRA-UK, helped coordinate the outdoor community pop-up event.

“We’re doing a charity car wash, we’re selling food, we also have a mascot Bluey who is pulling in the crowds, and we’re just fundraising for Gaza.

“I think given the situation in Gaza at the minute, what they’re going through, the lack of facilities, the lack of food, necessities, they’re struggling and we need to help them with whatever we can, whether that’s praying for them, fundraising for them, protesting, boycotting, whatever we can do to help them.

“We have a lot of volunteers who have come out to help us today. We’re selling food, cakes, chaats, samosas, katlamas; loads of different variety of bakes like brownies and concrete cakes. VVS is a local Sparkbrook car wash and they’re doing a great job helping us fundraise for Gaza.”

Akeel Mohammed from VVS welcomed the initiative and was more than happy to share their business profits with ISRA-UK’s Gaza aid programme.

“We’re here today undergoing a charity event for the people of Gaza, so there’s been a good turnout, alhamdulillah.

“We want to raise awareness of the situation for our brothers and sisters who are suffering in Palestine. Our brothers and sisters, they’re suffering very badly, so doing something like this helps the cause and insha’Allah, or donations go a long way.”

The car wash also showcased a range of luxury cars on its grounds during the event, including stunning Rolls Royce and BMW automobiles, to help generate funds for the charitable cause.

“ISRA-UK is doing a very, very good job. They’ve come here today, they’ve set up very well. There’s a lot of stalls and lots of things going on, they’ve got funds coming in from that. We’re also washing the cars so it’s a brilliant day.

“When we first opened the car wash around four or five years ago, our first charity event was actually for Gaza and it was in Ramadan, so when we were setting this place up we told a guy to graffiti ‘Free Palestine’ on one of our walls and ever since we’ve kept it there; so we’ve been supporting the cause since then.”

ISRA-UK has been working in Palestine for four decades and in Gaza since the latest blockade in 2016.

Recent events have seen the Birmingham-based charity deliver additional hot meals, food packs, hygiene packs, flour, bedding and clothes to refugees in the Gaza Strip; both via partners inside the occupied territory and via truckload convoys from Egypt.

You can donate to ISRA-UK’s Gaza appeal by visiting: www.israuk.org.