Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A Birmingham charity which usually helps support people affected by natural disasters across the world has turned its attention to helping a manmade ‘disaster’ a little closer to home. Faizan Global Relief Foundation (FGRF), based in Witton Road in Aston, usually responds to natural disasters around the globe like earthquakes in Turkey, Syria and Morocco or floods in Pakistan by sending support and supplies to help those affected. But instead in recent weeks its volunteers, who are the welfare department of Islamic organisation, Dawat-e-Islami, have focused their attention on humanitarian closer to home and been out tackling the piles of rubbish in their city. Read more: Full list of Birmingham dates and times of mobile bin lorries including parks Over the last two weeks some 20 volunteers have been out in a van to Sparkhill, Sparkbrook, Hall Green, Alum Rock, Washwood Heath, Lozells and Aston. They have collected ‘hundreds and hundreds’ of bags of rubbish from the streets, clearing footpaths and disposing of the waste piling up and which was becoming a public health concern The FGRF volunteers have done this in their own time setting to street-cleaning work after eight to 12-hour shifts on their day jobs. Muhammad Wasim from FGRF told BirminghamLive he and fellow volunteers have been out on Friday, April 11 and again on Thursday, April 17 clearing rubbish from the inner city neighbourhoods He said: “We have been working on the biggest issue in Birmingham which at the moment is the black bags. “They’re a huge issue and a problem with public health and led to rats and mice. “We do litter picks and have continued with those but also picking up black bags. “FGRF normally responds to disasters across the world and also issues at home like the crisis in the NHS, and we have been providing health checks like blood pressure tests. “But for the last two weeks we have been clearing black bags.” Wasim continued: “For two days we have had 20 or so volunteers that have worked long 10 or 11-hour shifts and come home got some food and then gone straight out to clear rubbish. “We have then disposed of the rubbish with private companies. “We’d go out the day before to see where the issues were and then go back take the rubbish especially when it was close to homes. “The only thing we have been picking up is black bags and we have taken hundreds and hundreds of bags. “We have been seeing rats and mice!” Read more: Council temporarily scraps rat fee amid bin strike The 29-year-old added: “We normally do community work, talking crime but this has been a completely different experience. “Yes there were challenges, but we have had that many people thank our volunteers and offering us drinks. People have shown their gratitude everywhere, even when we have been in the middle of the night. “Things are improving but there’s still a problem of a lot of black bags.” Professional driver, Qumar Iqbal said: “I was concerned by the litter and unpleasant odours I encountered while working across the city on a daily basis since the strikes began. “Motivated to make a difference, I volunteered my time and was proud to witness the positive changes and the uplifting impact it had on Birmingham’s residents.” The work has been welcomed by residents. One, Sohail, from Sparkbrook said: “My bags hadn’t been collected for over two weeks, and it was a big concern for me. “But one night, I saw the volunteers outside with a van and cleaning the street and approached them. “They kindly took my household rubbish, which was such a relief and made me really happy. Thank you FGRF.” And senior youth worker, Darnish Amraz, said: “A heartfelt thank you FGRF for coming out to Aston during the midnight and helping clean our streets. “Your efforts have made a real difference making our area safer, cleaner, and hazard-free.” Get the latest BirminghamLive news direct to your inbox And Councillor Saima Suleman (Hall Green North, Lab.) wrote on Facebook praising their efforts and said: “Many of these volunteers have jobs to get to the next morning yet they still show up, night after night, driven by a deep love for our community. “That kind of selfless dedication deserves to be recognised and celebrated. “As the local councillor for Hall Green North, I was touched when they reached out to me directly to ask if there were any local hotspots I could flag for them. “It’s a real testament to their proactive spirit and commitment to making a difference.”