Mostaque works tirelessly in the local Bury Park community in which he was born and bred, through his family print and design firm Bartham Group – who print the Town’s matchday programme – and by raising thousands of pounds for charity.
Just last Sunday the 35-year-old ran the London Marathon and raised £22,000 for three great causes – Luton Food Bank, Hospice UK and Shelter – before attending the club’s Player of the Year event in the evening to present awards he had sponsored.
Raj, as he is known to all at Kenilworth Road, is director and founder of Community Interest Luton, whose projects include the Community magazine, the annual Community Awards and the Curry Kitchen service delivering food to homeless shelters in the local area, among many others.
In total, he has helped raise £125,000 for local causes and the latest target is to generate £25,000 to build a gym at Keech Hospice.
Last summer he joined LTFC club staff and former player Kingsley Black in being locked up for the day in a Dunstable police cell to help raise funds for Level Trust, a charity on whose board he sits, as well as Luton Community Housing and Beds Police’s Independent Advisory Group.
Hatters chief executive Gary Sweet said: “Raj has been an ambassador for Luton and Luton Town Football Club for as long as he could walk. He is liked by everybody, he works tirelessly for the local Luton community and has done so for the football club, too.
“We are really well connected to our local community here, as was demonstrated so brilliantly with the wonderful gesture made by the local residents and businessmen in handing out chocolate gifts to supporters attending the Mansfield game at Easter.
“As we are looking to relocate to the town centre, we’d like to maintain a very strong relationship, and build it further, with the Bury Park community and others throughout the town. Raj will play a very important role in that and we are proud to have him on board.”
Raj said: “It’s a privilege to be invited to be the club’s first Community Ambassador. I’ve been supporting the Hatters for a decade now and the club has become an integral part of my life, whether through my family’s businesses, the wonderful community projects we often run together, raising funds for club charities or getting behind Nathan and the team on a Saturday afternoon from our box at Kenilworth Road.
“I was born in Luton, grew up on Ash Road and still live within walking distance of Kenilworth Road now. I’m proud to be asked to represent the club in the community I know so well.”
Welcome to your new role Raj!
(Raj is pictured above presenting Alan Sheehan's Internet Player of the Year award to Nicky Toone at last Sunday's presentation evening, with Alan unable to attend due to being at the PFA awards dinner)
