A Muslim cycling group has raised a whopping £66,000 for the Lake District’s new mosque, thrusting the building project closer towards the Ramadan completion date in spite of far-right fury.
Slow Spokes CC from Preston participated in the Cycle4SLIC bike ride which aimed to raise awareness of the mosque project and rally community support for the South Lakes Islamic Centre (SLIC).
The SLIC is responsible for the project to establish the first ever mosque in Dalton-In-Furness, a town just outside the picturesque English Lake District.
The bike ride took place on September 21 with about thirty riders from across Lancashire taking part, riding a total of 135 miles in a single day.
The initiative was backed by a wide number of mosques in Preston who helped fundraise for the ride by appealing to their congregations for donations.
The Chairman of the South Lakes Islamic Centre, Aban Hussain, released a statement praising the ride, issuing special thanks to the Muslims of Preston and the CYCLE4SLIC group.
“Through the collective generosity of the community, the campaign successfully raised approximately £66,000 within the month of September. This significant achievement stands as a testament to the wholehearted support and unity of our neighbouring communities.
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“With this milestone, we have drawn significantly closer to our goal. We are confident that with continued effort, unity, and divine assistance, this target will be met.
“We pray that Almighty Allah accepts the efforts of all who contributed, rewards them abundantly in this world and the Hereafter, and grants His blessings to everyone involved. May He make The First Masjid a beacon of guidance, mercy, and community for years to come.”
The fundraiser boasted a 100% donation policy providing supporters a chance to help establish an Islamic house of worship which will give Muslims a permanent space to perform five daily praise and weekly Jummah prayers among other Islamic services in Cumbria.
5Pillars has been informed that the new mosque is well on track for its planned opening in the holy month of Ramadan, 2026.
Far-right campaign of hate
The project has faced major criticism from right-wing forces after the £2.5 million mosque project went viral on social media in early 2025.
Right-wing media have pushed negative editorial coverage of the project, describing it as a “mega mosque” despite its modest size.
GB News presenter Patrick Christys has repeatedly used the term “mega mosque” as far back as March 2025 while asking a guest to react to “whopping great big places of worship” being built in England.
The South Lakes Islamic centre charity, led by a group of Muslim doctors working at Barrow’s Furness General Hospital, is behind the project and says it will become the only masjid within a 50-mile radius.
The site is expected to hold approximately 200 worshippers at full capacity, however, 5Pillars has reported on a campaign of hate and harassment by far-right groups has begun following the negative publicity the project received.
Monthly protests have been organised outside the construction site with Islamophobic groups Britain First and UKIP participating while far-right slogans, flags and chants routinely on display.
5Pillars witnessed a far-right thug and neo-nazi T-shirt wearer Ryan Ferguson being arrested at one such anti-mosque protest in July after attempting to confront anti-fascist counter protesters defending the mosque.
The next planned protest is reportedly expecting to platform UKIP leader and far-right agitator Nick Tenconi.
Tenconi has filmed himself spouting Islamophobic propaganda and conspiracy theories against the mosque on X, saying: “There is absolutely no need to put a mosque here. And the soul reason is to artificially flood the area with Muslims as an extension of ‘Operation Scatter,’ including ISIS warriors, Johnny Jihads, Islamists and the dregs of the Third World.
“They will descend on this poor Cumbrian community. Our Lake District is a national institution. We are being conquered.”
Tenconi has also been filmed performing Nazi salutes at a anti-migrant protest in Portsmouth in August.
Despite the threat from the far-right, local Muslims have received an outpouring of support from locals across Cumbria.
Local Labour MP Michelle Scrogham called the anti-mosque protests “racist” in July, adding it is “utterly wrong” to tell British Muslims they are not welcome in Cumbria.
5Pillars has reported on the strong turnout of local anti-racism activists at counter demonstrations whenever far-right protests spring up.
Local Cumbria converts to Islam have also rallied to defend the project and condemn the protests.
Speaking to media, a local protest organiser 43-year-old Donna Hill has revealed that she is gearing up for a legal fight, fundraising for a barrister to “probe the planning process for irregularities.”
Despite the participation of Islamophobes, Britain First and convicted neo-Nazi football thugs, Hill insists the fight is about transparency and not racism. “It’s nothing about, you know, racism and what we keep getting accused of.”
