Community
Our Heritage
A number of religions are represented in High Wycombe. There has been a Christian community in Wycombe for nearly 1000 years, there are eleven Church of England churches, All Saints Parish Church being the main one. A few fragments of the early church remain. The shape of the church is in a cross, and this can be clearly seen in the building. Other Christian denominations are represented in High Wycombe, such as Methodists, Baptists, The Society of Friends, Christian Fellowships, Roman Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Scientists and the Salvation Army. Many of these churches worship together on occasions.
There are also the Mosques for the Muslim community. Other religions exist in the town, such as the Sikhs who meet in a converted house.
The first ever place of communal worship for Muslims in High Wycombe was set up in a local house in the 1960’s. As the Muslim population of the town settled with their families in the 1970’s, a site was bought in Jubilee Road for prayers, learning and recitation of the Holy Quran. In 1981 the mosque was rebuilt to modern standards to accommodate the ever growing needs of the Muslim community of High Wycombe. At the time, the mosque on Jubilee Road was the only mosque in the town, a central hub of the Muslim community, used as a place to offer prayers, learning environment for children, matrimonial services, funeral services and a resident Imam for advice. As the Muslim population of the town grew further, so did the religious demands and needs of the community. Two additional sites were subsequently bought before the Millenium in the populated areas of Totteridge and Castlefield. The Totteridge and Castlefield mosques are intrinsically linked to the Jubilee Road central Mosque, offering the same religious services and each has an imam for prayers, teaching, advice and guidance.
The vast majority of Muslims in High Wycombe are immigrants from South Asia (in particular Azad Kashmir, Pakistan & Bangladesh) or descendants of immigrants from that region. However, it is acknowledged that there is also a growing contingent of Muslims who are ‘converting’ to Islam and whose needs also need to be catered for. The majority of the Mosques follow traditional Sunni Islam, the Hanafi branch of jurisprudence. There is also a community of Shi’ite Muslims who attend the Imam Ali (as) Centre. Despite the differences in ideology, all these places of worship advocate & promote peace, justice and harmony for all regardless of faith, background, culture or race.
AOI provides the following services to the local communities; especially to the Pakistani community because it is the largest ethnic community that has been living in High Wycombe for 4 to 5 decades.
- Free Tutoring (English, Maths and Science)
- Free Family Counselling
- Free legal counselling
- Community support work
