St Thomas’ Church in Nascot will transform into Masjid Al-Ummah in 2026 to serve Watford’s growing Muslim population.
The rebuild never happened, and the land went up for sale last year. Ar-Rahmah Trust bought the property this January. They want to open Masjid Al-Ummah there in 2026.
They need £1.5 million for renovations. The Masjid will be welcoming and open to everyone. It will be a non-sectarian space.
The Masjid will have prayer areas, a women’s gym, and a nursery. They will provide a food bank and Quran classes too. In addition, it will include education and social spaces.
A sports hall and study hubs are planned, and mortuary services will also be available. “Masjid” and “mosque” both mean a Muslim place to worship.
They are raising £500k this February to repay short term loans. They have raised £340k from 412 supporters so far, and you can find this on Launchgood.
The Watford Muslim population is now around 15,000 people. Existing mosques are too small, especially during Ramadan, and this project will offer vital space.
The new Masjid will focus on community well-being, and will also cover spiritual and educational needs. It helps cohesion, learning, and prayer.
The trustees talked to the Nascot Residents Association. They want to inform and involve the local community with project changes.
They’re keeping the current building, so it appears the previous demolition plan is off. They will make changes to the existing structure instead.