The heavens may have opened for the annual interfaith walk around the borough but that did nothing to deter the 70 people who turned up.

The Multifaith Walk of Peace is now in its fifth year and continues to increase in popularity and in appealing to different age groups.

This year the ambitious amblers kicked of their walk at the Buddhist Temple in Balfour Road, Ilford where they lined their stomachs with a tasty buffet before setting off.

Shamshia Ali, from Redbridge Faith Forum, said: “The day went absolutely wonderfully. There were a lot of new faces this time and many younger members as well. It’s fantastic to see such a variety of people at these events with such a range of people.”

They were joined by Redbridge police borough commander Det Ch Supt Sue Williams and the new faith liaison officer for the police Sarah Scannell.

“Although the heavens opened half way through proceedings, our enthusiasm was not dampened,” Ms Ali said. “We took advantage of tea and biscuits provided by the Hindu community to see out the rain.”

Five places of worship were visited on the walk with each pit stop involving some kind of food and drink as well as a talk and tour of the religious building.

One of the highlights this year, Ms Ali said, was the tour of the Ilford Muslim Community Centre and mosque in Albert Road, Ilford.

“We all learnt something,” she said. “Worshippers used to use the hall of the former church on the site for prayers before there was a mosque. It’s layers of history.”

She said that the interfaith walks are an excellent way for people to learn about other faiths and gives the opportunity for people to go into different places of worship in a comfortable setting.

Ms Ali added: “The walk was a great success, with people of different faiths and none. It all made for a very enjoyable informative and peace giving afternoon.”

If you would like to find out about upcoming events visit www.redbridgefaithforum.org.