The Union of Muslim Organisations - Walsall, (UMO), is the representative Umbrella organisation for the Muslim community of Walsall. The organisation represents all the Mosques and Madrassah’s in the borough of Walsall and in addition to this represents many other organisation’s within the Muslim community that provide services to the Muslim inhabitants of the Borough of Walsall. Walsall has a Muslim community of approximately 18,000 who are from diverse ethnic backgrounds such as Pakistani, Kashmiri, Indian, Afghani, Bangladeshi, Iraqi, Kurdish, European, Somali, West Indian, and many more backgrounds. The community has supported the UMO as its representative organisation for the many years since the UMO's inception and the UMO as a representative institution has been accountable to the community which makes up its membership.
The UMO was created in 1972 after an issue was raised about the dress code for female Muslim students at one of the Boroughs Schools. The community united around this issue and the foundations of the UMO were cemented. The community realized that if it remained united on issues affecting its people then this would help when lobbying for greater and more culturally appropriate services with statutory organisations. The UMO therefore has worked with many organisations - whether through strategic advice or on a more operational level - to ensure that services provided to the Muslim community are easily accessible by the Muslim community of Walsall.
The UMO actively works with all Faith communities and those of no particular Faith background on issues as varied as community cohesion to food in hospitals and parking provision. The UMO works with Muslims and non Muslims of all ages and of both genders to ensure that all of our community gets the benefit from the programmes and projects we undertake. There is no discrimination in Islam and thus the UMO actively works to combat any form of discrimination against any section of the community. The UMO works with all people regardless of ethnic background, gender, Faith or disability.
As the representative organisation for the Muslim community in Walsall the UMO works with statutory and voluntary organisations to better the life chances and the opportunities for its community by lobbying and working to improve the service being provided to the diverse community in Walsall. Some of the organisations that the UMO works with are listed below;
Walsall Council
Walsall Partnership
West Midlands Police
Walsall Housing Group
Walsall Children Services - SERCO
Walsall Voluntary Action
Walsall Manor Hospital
Walsall teaching Primary Care Trust
Walsall College
Walsall Multi Faith Forum
Walsall Hindu Forum
Walsall Sikh Forum
Churches Together in Walsall
Walsall SACRE
West Midlands Fire Service
Job Centre Plus
Walsall Ethnic Minority Alliance
The UMO promotes active engagement within civic society for both female and male members of its community to ensure that their voice is heard locally and the Muslim community involves itself in the many initiatives that impact upon them and their children, their streets, their communities and their environment.
The UMO works to maintain Unity in Walsall's Muslim community and has as its message "Unity is our Strength" which illustrates that together the Muslim community can achieve a great deal and the improvements that are needed in Health, Education, Welfare, Employment, Crime Prevention, Community Development and Community Cohesion.
