A group of Oldham residents held a "peaceful brunch" to protest against the war taking place in the Middle East.

Members of the Sandringham Park Residents Association met on Sunday, November 5 at an address on Hansby Close as they discussed the violence taking place between Israel and Palestine and the impact it has had on people in Oldham.

The group are calling for a ceasefire, which many local political leaders have done in recent days.

Among those present was Abdul Mumin, one of the founding members of Human Aid and Advocacy, an international NGO (non-governmental organisation) which supports survivors of war and persecution through access to sustainable aid programmes.

Mr Mumin told attendees stories about the group's work in the UK and Gaza.

Shapla, a resident of Hansby Close, said: "It’s devastating about what’s going on around the world and the Gaza situation, [it's] really heartbreaking watching all these kids suffer and die in a way which is unimaginable.

"As a mother-of-two it’s heart-breaking to see and hear - I really hope what is going on will stop soon."

Liz, another resident of Hansby Close, said it meant a lot for the group to get together as the situation was overwhelming.

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Since the group's meeting, multiple local political leaders have publicly backed calls for a ceasefire. 

On Tuesday (November 14), the leaders of all of Oldham's political parties issued a joint statement, along with the borough mayor, Cllr Zahid Chauhan, calling for the government to work towards a ceasefire.

Before the meeting, mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, publicly issued a statement calling for a ceasefire, which was signed jointly by the leaders of all of the councils in the city-region, including Cllr Arooj Shah of Oldham.

The UK previously abstained from voting in a UN vote to call for a ceasefire and the government has yet to call for one.

The violence in the Middle East continues to rage on.