Survival Guide

PLACES TO PRAY

We are blessed to have a mosque practically on campus. The Canterbury Muslim Cultural Center & Mosque, also known as The Markaz, is located on Giles Lane adjacent to Sports Centre car park. The Markaz has separate entrances for Brothers and Sisters, with Wudhu (ablution) facility. There are plenty of copies of the Quran as well as many other books for you to read. There are Jama’ats of the five daily prayers and the weekly Jummah (Friday) prayer with speakers through to the sisters’ area. You can find the Jama’at times on the front page

In the past, Muslim students have been unable to locate The Markaz, so the Islamic Society have produced a video with directions from Keynes college and the Essentials shop:

Another designated prayer room on campus is located in Rutherford College - Seminar Room 18 (RS18). You will need to ask at the college receptionist for the keys to get into the room and return them after you are done. There is no Wudhu facility in the room so make sure you have made Wudhu before hand.

Canterbury prayer times | Direction of the Qibla

HALAL FOOD

On Campus

  • The Essentials shop stocks a selection of halal snacks, rolls, kebabs and sandwiches.
  • The chicken used in the food at Rutherford dining hall is halal.
  • Woodys in Park Wood has a menu with many halal options available.
  • There are always vegetarian or fish options in Essentials, Rutherford dining hall, Bag-it, Origins or Woodys.

Off Campus

Takeaways

Restaurants

The takeaways and restaurants listed have said that they are halal. The Islamic Society would urge all Muslims to make a habit of asking if the food is halal every time they eat out. Sometimes the chicken/meat may be halal and other times it may not be halal, depending on the batch sent to the restaurants. If in doubt, it is better for you to stay safe –  choose a fish or vegetarian option. In any case, you will soon notice that eating out in Canterbury is relatively expensive. Why not buy some halal meat and cook at home? – Save money and have fun at the same time!

Halal Meat

  • Asda, Sturry Rd, Canterbury, Kent ,CT1 1DG – map
    Asda supermarket along Sturry Road stores a great deal of halal meat and chicken options. Similarly it has halal burgers, samosas, paranthas, sheesh kebabs etc. available in its frozen section.
  • Garden of England Grocers (Muslim owned), 19 St Dunstans Street, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 8BH – map
    Garden of England grocers keeps a lot of halal burgers, indian/pakistani products as well as locally sourced vegetables and fruit. It has also just recently started selling fresh halal meat.
  • Continental Food Store (Muslim owned), 106 Northdown Rd, Margate, Kent CT9 2RE – map
    Halal meat is also available from Margate. Brother Saud who owns the shop makes halal meat deliveries to Canterbury throughout the week. You can call him on 07825654406 or 07778014423.
STUDENTS UNION

Kent Union is a charity which supports the students studying at the University of Kent. It owns a variety of outlets including Essentials, Woodys, Extras, The Library Café and Unique.

Kent Union also provides services such as printing, free professional advice, job search, volunteering, fundraising, an award winning FM radio station, CSR and a student newspaper, InQuire.

Kent Union is also a representative body campaigning on behalf of students and voicing their opinions to the university and the wider community.

Since the Islamic Society operates under Kent Union, you need to be a member of Kent Union to become a member of the Islamic Society.

You can find out more about Kent Union on their website http://www.kentunion.co.uk

SOCIETIES

Clubs and societies provide an excellent opportunity to meet like-minded people, make new friends and experience something different outside of your degree course.

With over 130 societies and 50 sports clubs supported by Kent Union, you will find that you will never have time to be bored whilst at university. There are so many – not just music or football, but also literature, current affairs, photography, paintball, sailing, faiths, cultural groups, opportunities for volunteering and more – trying to decide which to join may be a challenge in itself. To see a full list of the societies visit http://www.kentunion.co.uk/societies/

The best way to find more about the various societies and what’s on offer is by visiting their stalls at the fresher’s fayre, where you can ask questions, sign up and also get yourselves some freebies!

The Islamic Society has worked hard over the years of its existence to unite Muslim students from different backgrounds and nationalities and to encourage learning and discussion on Islam amongst members and the wider community. We hold regular socials, study circles and events of all varieties such as dinners, talks and lectures. We also aim to build stronger relations with non-Muslim students, to provide dawah and spread Islamic awareness on campus. So make sure you stop by to say hello at the Islamic Society Fresher’s fair stall and find out about our exciting new plans for next year and how you can get more involved!

CANTERBURY

Canterbury’s skyline is dominated by the stunning Cathedral, the oldest in England. But the cathedral is only part of the story; the ancient ruins of St Augustine’s Abbey and St Martin’s Church form Canterbury’s UNESCO World Heritage Site while other ancient ruins such as the Castle are reminders of the city’s history, heritage and culture. Although Canterbury is a place steeped in tradition it is also a modern and vibrant city.

Travelling by foot is always a good way to explore the city. Walking trails or guided walks will help you make the most of your time here and to enjoy the winding lanes and streets, all with their own unique identity.

Alternatively you may wish to relax and absorb the wonder of the city with a boat trip along the River Stour.  You will be able to appreciate Canterbury’s finest and historical architecture set against outstanding, scenic views.  The crystal clear waters offer a home to ducks, swans, fish and other wildlife while the river banks have an array of bending willow trees and wild flowers.

TRAVEL

By Rail to Canterbury

  • London St Pancras to Canterbury West – journey time approx 55 mins – trains every hour.
  • London Victoria to Canterbury East – Journey time approx 85 mins
  • London Charring Cross or Waterloo East to Canterbury West – Journey time approx 90 mins – 2 train an hour Monday to Saturday

From Canterbury West Train Station to Campus

  • Turn right out of enterance
  • Walk along Station Road West
  • Turn left into St Dunstan’s Street
  • Cross to bus stop on opposite side of the road

From Canterbury East Train Station to Campus

  • Turn right straight outside the station (Do not cross the bridge oppsite the station)
  • Follow the road to the bus stop

You can catch the UNIBUS, the 6/6a, 6b, 4/4a, and 4b from both bus stops

Live departures and arrivals information for Canterbury West. Live departures and arrivals information for Canterbury East.

By Coach/Bus to Canterbury

National Express run a regular service from London Victoria coach station to Canterbury bus station (Service number 007). From Canterbury bus station you can catch the UNIBUS to the university campus or 4/4a/4b and 6/6a/6b.

Bus Service

  • The bus services which operate from campus to the city centre include the UNIBUS, 06, 6A, 6B and 6X. – timetable (scroll down)
  • The bus services which operate from the city centre to campus include the UNIBUS, 04, 4A, 4B and 4X. – timetable
  • The UNIBUS make trips approx every 7 minutes. You can purchase “ride all day” tickets for £2.50 or weekly tickets for £7.50 from the driver. – timetable
  • The UNIRIDER bus pass allows you to travel throughout East Kent including the UNIBUS. You can purchase it on an annual or termly basis. You can purchase it throughout freshers week or online. If you purchase the UNIRIDER pass early you can save yourself £85! – This is especially good for those students living off campus.
  • The Saturday Grocery Bus service (26a) provides cheap and easy access to Asda and Sainsbury’s for your grocery shopping. The service runs during term-time only, every Saturday from 10:00am until 3:00pm and costs £1.30 return.

Taxi Services

There are many Taxi services in canterbury. There is also a Taxi rank on campus outside Kent Union and the Essentials shop. Needless to say, traveling by Taxi is expensive and you should try to avoid it. You could however minimise the cost if you travel in groups thus spliting the cost between the group.

SHOPPING

If you’re living away from home, you will inevitably need to do THE BIG SHOP for all the essentials at the start of the year. Canterbury’s town centre has all the large stores that you would expect (except Primark!) including Wilkinson, Tesco, Netto and Boots. For your weekly grocery shopping, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s are only a short bus ride away!

The university organises a Saturday Grocery Bus Service (26a) to Asda and Sainsbury’s. It operates during term time from 10am till 3pm. Depending on which direction the bus is travelling in, it should carry the following wording:

  • To the shops – 26a St Stephen’s Hill, Sturry Road shops
  • From the shops – 26a St Stephen’s Hill, University

For those who have a yearning for retail, Canterbury’s array of shop windows beckon with a kaleidoscope of colours, inviting you to sample what’s on offer. Many of the high street names are here as well as a delightful range of independent retailers. For all those who love a bit of retail therapy every now and then, Whitefriars is an open air shopping area that offers an impressive collection of leading fashion and lifestyle retailers including Fenwick, Next, Zara, H&M and Monsoon and the newly furbished Marlow Arcade plays host to brands such as Coast, Karen Millen, Hobbs and Phase Eight.

And if you think that’s not enough, with direct buses from campus that take you there, you can always plan a day out to go to the nearby towns of Whitstable, Herne Bay and Margate where there are loads more opportunities for shoppers especially with a love of art and an eye for a bargain!

USEFULL CONTACTS

IslamicNature.com