SEASON OF GOODWILL

BIG-HEARTED gardener Akhtar Kazerooni is digging deep into her celebrated nursery to ensure an annual charity extravaganza she helped inspire will continue to blossom into a major community event on the island.

The 'bazaar' first took root in 2002 as a way to raise much-needed funds for Palestinian war-victims and has now grown beyond expectations with the help of her niece, Nada Mahmood, other family members and friends.

The fourth charity sale bazaar, now an annual event, will take place on January 8 at the Shahrazad Hall, off Budaiya Road, behind the Wholesale Restaurant, and money raised will help support struggling families in surrounding villages.

Mrs Kazerooni, 60, from Saar, said: "Our main aim is to lend a helping hand to those in need and we also encourage children to come forward and get involved so as to understand the true nature of giving at an early age."

Nada, 32, from Zinj, is helping to promote the event by spreading the message of goodwill across the media as well as on social networking sites and texting, with the hope of raising thousands of dinars.

The bazaar, which features a wide array of products including plants, clothes, books, handicrafts, household items, kitchenware and food, raised a staggering BD4,600 a year ago - BD600 more than the previous year's effort.

Nada, head of treasury at an Islamic bank, said: "The response has been massive. The bazaar offers great bargains for low income workers as well as providing a platform where people can give away items from their home which they no longer use."

Nada Mahmood continued: "During the festive season, and occasions such as weddings, people tend to receive a lot of gifts that they don't need or won't use, such as a collection of photo frames - how many can one use!

"Gifts that people receive for Christmas, baby showers, birthdays or weddings can be given away for a worthy cause. Toys are another example. Children normally toss away their toys or lose interest with them, especially when they receive new ones at this time of year.

"They are often still in excellent condition and would make another child extremely happy. Donations to the bazaar are so reasonably priced they are quickly snapped up. As the saying goes, one person's rubbish is another one's treasure!"

Mrs Kazerooni, whose daughter Aala, 25, also helps her with the project, says the bazaar has also opened an opportunity for gifted craftsmen and women to display their creations to a wide audience by donating some to the cause.

A group of more than 50 family members and friends has now rallied around to support the bazaar initiative to ensure its continued success.

Many of the volunteers will be showcasing their home-made products and a team of children will be selling flowers and plants collected from their gardens.

Mrs Kazerooni said: "The women in our family love gardening and during the event we all come together with our plants. We all get really excited and enjoy it!"

She has been gardening for the past 35 years and is well-known on the island for her participation in the annual Bahrain International Garden Show and her front garden is an example of how hard work and passion can excel. It is home to one of the first pink lilies to grow and prosper in the kingdom.

She contributes plants and seeds to the bazaar and even a CD collection of images taken of spring flowers in Bahrain, totalling more than 45 different species, proved to be a hot seller earlier in the year!

She said: "The event has grown beyond all expectations and has attracted a whole host of volunteers and talented folk wishing to help others.

"We even had a spa owner from Budaiya offering Chinese massages for as little as BD4 at the bazaar. We allocated a covered cabin for her and tired shoppers queued up for their massages!"

The coming event will boast around 36 big, round tables to house the variety of goods on sale alongside 30 smaller square tables.

The initial bazaar was launched to help raise money for thousands of homeless Palestinians caught up in the conflict with Israel. Mrs Kazerooni said: "There was too much suffering and I thought we needed to do something about it.

"I spoke with my friend Homa Bushehri about organising a fund-raising event. Her husband owns Shahrazad Hall and allowed us to use the premises free of charge for the charitable event."

It was a 'one-off' event that refused to go away. The duo decided to reunite in 2009 with the Bahrain Medical Society to raise funds in aid of people living in Gaza.

In 2010 they decided to take on a different mission closer to home after encountering poor living conditions in some of the villages.

She said: "We collected money at the bazaar for needy Bahraini families. We were able to buy 16 air conditioning units, several home appliances including an oven as well as provide assistance to seven Bahraini patients seeking urgent medical treatment abroad.

"We received immense response and were then constantly getting calls from people also in dire need of help. So, we are continuing to offer a hand of friendship and help."

The bazaar will be held from 9am to 7pm. Volunteers can book a table for BD30and those interested in participating can contact Nada on 36989899 or email nada.mahmood@gmail.com