The Husseini Women's Group teaches young girls the culture, cookery etc.

Peterborough has a large, vibrant Muslim population, and a need to get out and socialise while her husband was working away was the inspiration that led Shamim Hirji to set up the Husseini Women's Group.

"Personally, I like keep-fit classes and outings," she said. "My husband was in the Navy for 23 years, and I needed an outlet and somewhere to come out in the evening with the children.

When I first started, I was bringing my kids in; I didn't have family around and this was the only way I could socialise."

Today, it runs a range of activities, including yoga, pilates, dress-making, and cookery.

In total, across all the classes, there are about 80 members.

As people are under a lot of stress, and had back problems, yoga and pilates were introduced and become very popular, and not just with members of the mosque.

Non-Muslim members get to experience the warmth of the community and are fully embraced – even getting Christmas gifts from their new friends.

The appeal of the activities also spans the generations.

Sukaina Dhanji goes to the cookery classes with her 10-year-old daughter Sabira, and to the sewing classes with her 16-year-old daughter Zahra.

She said: "We meet and do lots of different activities, not just religious activities. It's a centre for us."

The Husseini Women's Group runs dress making classes on Wednesdays, from 7.00pm to 9.00pm, cookery classes on Saturdays, from 7.00pm to 9.00pm, pilates at 3pm, on Sundays, and yoga at 7.30pm on Mondays, and at 10.30am on Thursdays.