--- title: Event infrastructure for the international Ashara Mubaraka date: 2026-10-06T10:00:00+01:00 author: Emily Cording canonical_url: "https://www.glevents.co.uk/experience/ashara-mubaraka" section: Experiences --- [ Back to overview ](https://www.glevents.co.uk/experience) Copy Faith Events 06 | 10 | 26 # Event infrastructure for the international Ashara Mubaraka ![AMA Client Photo 4](https://www.glevents.co.uk/uploads/images/_1300x487_crop_center-center_none/117976/AMA-Client-Photo-4.jpg) In 2026, GL events’ agility of resource, and experience proved fundamental in enabling us to deliver event infrastructure for the international Ashara Mubaraka 1448H event held in Northolt, London. ## Commodities ![Structures Icon](https://www.glevents.co.uk/uploads/images/Products/Icons/StructuresIcon.svg) Structures ![Power Icon](https://www.glevents.co.uk/uploads/images/Products/Icons/PowerIcon.svg) Temporary Power The ten-day event, delivered for the Dawoodi Bohra community marks the start of the Islamic New Year and is dedicated to remembering Imam Husain, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, and his valiant stand for the universal values of justice, truth, and humanity nearly 1,400 years ago. As a fully international event, Ashara Mubaraka is one of the largest gatherings within the Dawoodi Bohra community and takes place annually at the venue where His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS) leads the commemoration in person. As the venue location is chosen close to the event date, the event’s planning required the highest levels of communication, and exceptionally agile mobilisation. GL events were first selected to deliver infrastructure for Ashara Mubaraka, when the event came to the UK in 2022. Our successful delivery that year – our transparent working relationship, and the client trust which we were able to establish – made the client’s decision to turn to GL events again, an easy one. Despite the intervening events having taken place in locations as diverse as Dubai, Karachi and Chennai, when the decision was made to bring the 2026 event back to the UK, organisers lost no time in calling the team at GL events to ask if we could meet the challenge and quickly mobilise the team and the commodities necessary to deliver again. And thanks to our internal resources – both in terms of team and commodities, and our network of trusted supply chain partners including our inhouse specialists for power and temperature control solutions, Flow, our answer was of course, yes. Project Manager Lucy Bardon, and Commercial Director David Tunnicliffe led the mobilisation of the GL events operation, with just two working days to secure the necessary structures and team as well as Power and HVAC which were going to prove vital during the UK’s hottest summer on record. Work on site began in earnest on the Monday. “Our Ashara Mubaraka London team simply could not have delivered this event without the expertise, professionalism and experience you brought to the table.” Dr Qusai Arsiwala Project Manager, Ashara Mubaraka London 1448H With Ashara Mubaraka accommodating roughly 9,000 people a day, across its 10-day duration, many of the operational challenges of delivery are common to that of any large event – the need to ringfence equipment, identify trusted suppliers who can supply additional equipment to supplement in-house stock (something that is even more challenging when the event takes place during the peak summer season); and mobilise trusted and experienced crew to guarantee the highest levels of delivery and service. But some factors surrounding the Ashara Mubaraka event made delivery more challenging than usual: “The circumstances in which this year’s event was brought together were particularly demanding: timescales were exceptionally short, the challenges considerable and the pressure on everyone involved immense.” Dr Qusai Arsiwala Project Manager, Ashara Mubaraka London 1448H ![AMA Client Photo 1](https://www.glevents.co.uk/uploads/images/_1300x595_crop_center-center_none/AMA-Client-Photo-1.jpg) Ashara Mubaraka London 1448H ## The nature of the event site Situated just off a main public road, next to a SEN school and a gym which is open 24 hours a day, and surrounded by an active industrial estate, the access road to the site had to remain open to the public during the build period and live event. Our planning and co-ordination of transportation was therefore vital, and GL events took on a critical consultancy role of advising the client on the location of perimeter fencing, and what security needed to be put in place. The site is also not merely a venue for worship, and but also incorporates a residential space, meaning that the build had to take place alongside families and children living on the site. Navigating these areas, and ensuring that health and safety was carefully maintained, while we were bringing a large number of cabins onto site across the two main build locations was a key priority. Another key responsibility for GL events was ensuring that members of the public wanting to volunteer on the build site, were controlled and removed from site so as not to put the safety of individuals at risk. In our advisory role, GL events assisted the client in commissioning a separate Principal Contractor to act alongside us, which helped improve the speed of the installation. Our dedicated Site Manager played a critical role in working with the Principal Contractor, and GL event’s Project Management team, to continuously manage risk and ensure safety. This quickly evolved into 24-hour Site Management, because of the requirements of the event, and the weather conditions. Because events on site typically ran from 9 in the morning, until 9 or 10 at night, the management of all event services had to take place at night to ensure that the attendees’ experience wasn’t compromised, and that the safety of attendees was ensured. GL events had responsibility for the management of waste from both the kitchen and the toilets, including maintenance of grease traps which collected grease from cooking; and also, full water management across the site, using water pillows to ensure a consistent supply across the site. ![AMA Client Photo 2](https://www.glevents.co.uk/uploads/images/_1300x595_crop_center-center_none/AMA-Client-Photo-2.jpg) The rising temperatures necessitated more water tankers coming in every day, something that had to be managed within the relatively short “down time window” between 10pm and attendees arriving for the next morning’s events. ## Exceptional temperatures The planning, installation and live event took place during one of 2026’s most prolonged periods of high temperatures. One of the lessons we had learned from our delivery in 2022 was the importance of managing the increased temperature within structures because of the large number of people they contained. In 2022, structures got very hot even during expected summer temperatures, and so our priority was ensuring that in 2026, ambient internal temperatures were more comfortable for the people attending. GL events and its temporary power provider, Flow Power Solutions, had full responsibility for all site power and HVAC. The initial plan was based on a forecast of typical 20-ish degree weather. But during the build and closer to the event, as temperatures were exceeding 35 degrees it became apparent that the plan would need to change, and necessitated us doubling the HVAC power element, at very short notice, to keep structures cool. This dynamic response to changing conditions continued through the live event, as well as responding to the following day’s temperatures, ensuring that we could drive down the temperature and make it as safe and comfortable for the event visitors as possible. This was made possible by adopting a collaborative and responsive integrated delivery team partnership. Senior Project Managers were present on site throughout the event to advise the best possible solutions and enable rapid decision making to ensure the temporary venues remained within temperature tolerance. This included designing additional cooling infrastructure and rapidly deploying supplementary equipment. Flow Power Solutions were able to respond flexibly to the changing requirements due to excellent project management, commitment to out of hours support, for seamless communications and key decision making. ## Compressed timescales With two working days to plan the event, and ten days to complete the build, there was considerable pressure both for GL events and the client, to be flexible and agile enough to adapt to changing circumstances and changing plans on almost a daily basis. While the client brief to GL was to go in and repeat what we delivered in 2022, our heavily consultative (as well as operational) role meant we needed to advise and make changes where required and adapt quickly when the client also wanted to make changes. The timescale made it very difficult to produce a detailed build schedule in advance of the build starting, so we adopted an approach of daily planning involving GL’s Project Manager, the Site Manager, the Principal Contractor and the Health & Safety Advisor. Excellent communication between this core team, and the client was key, ensuring that when the client called and made a change, the team were fully informed on any potential deliveries or any additional activity taking place on site. It was this constant chain of communication which drove the operational delivery to be such a success. ## Operational and technical delivery GL events delivered a comprehensive temporary infrastructure package encompassing structures, welfare facilities, utilities, power generation, sustainable Battery Energy Storage (BESS) integration, electrical distribution and HVAC. A total of 4,240sqm. of temporary structures was installed across the site, creating accommodation for operational, technical, medical and event management functions. The structure package formed the backbone of the event infrastructure, delivering secure, climate controlled and adaptable space solutions capable of supporting the high visitor numbers and critical event operations. ## Selecting the right structures for the event The complete event solution comprised twenty different temporary structures, including a large number of A-Frame [clearspan](https://www.glevents.co.uk/products/marquees/clearspan-marquees), [Premier](https://www.glevents.co.uk/products/temporary-structures/premier) and [Absolute](https://www.glevents.co.uk/products/temporary-structures/absolute)products. The selection was driven by open dialogue between the client and our project management team to carefully select a mix of structures that worked cohesively to create practical infrastructure, aligned to how the client intended to use the space. The 25m x 70m A-Frame structure was used as a large commercial kitchen, linked with the main 50m x 110m structure. Two Premier structures, configured in 16m x 35m and 20m x 25m layouts provided over 1,000sqm of additional high-specification covered space. The 10m x 20m Absolute structure added valuable flexibility for the organisers, with custom structural elements and the opportunity for additional enhancements, through a multitude of overlay and fit-out options. ## Explore the Premier and Absolute structures in more detail Compare the Premier and Absolute structures to discover the features, size and specification options that will help set your event apart. [ Discover the flexible and iconic Absolute ](https://www.glevents.co.uk/products/temporary-structures/absolute) [ Elevate your event with the striking Premier pavilion ](https://www.glevents.co.uk/products/temporary-structures/premier) ## Internal layouts and configuration To create functional layouts within the temporary structures, we supplied and installed 210 linear metres of internal walling. This enabled the subdivision of larger structures into dedicated operational zones, ensuring efficient use of space throughout the event. The welfare package included eight portable office cabins, a shower unit and various toilet facilities. In addition, GL events were responsible for the complete water management solution across the site. This included: \- Water storage tanks \- Hand wash stations \- Gas-powered water heaters \- Temporary pipework and fittings \- Ongoing water tanker deliveries \- Wastewater and emptying management The system was maintained throughout the ten-day live event period, ensuring a safe and reliable water supply and welfare provision. ## Power, lighting and HVAC Recognising the scale and urgency of the event, with the vent opening in 5 days’ time, the structures project management team immediately engaged our in-house power provider, [Flow Power Solutions](https://www.glevents.co.uk/products/temporary-event-power), to develop and mobilise the required power and HVAC solution. The brief was to provide full HVAC overlay and related turnkey power generation and electrical distribution needs for the event. This included site production overlay across multiple temporary structures and permanent mosque, encompassing end circuit electrical distribution for lighting and power outlets. The most immediate challenge was the programme. Flow had just five days from the initial contact to mobilise its team and begin delivery on site. Within 12 hours, a site visit was completed, and the team rapidly designed a plan for the event based on typical seasonal temperatures and expected visitor numbers. This included optimised and sustainable power and HVAC, commission of equipment, allocation of 13 engineers and the coordination of transportation. The installation had just started as planned but the UK was about to face the Saharan heat dome… ![AMA Client Photo 3](https://www.glevents.co.uk/uploads/images/_1300x595_crop_center-center_none/AMA-Client-Photo-3.jpg) Ashara Mubaraka London 1448H **The power and HVAC package included:** \- More than 3 MW of HVAC equipment \- 20 generators providing approximately 4.9 MW of capacity **In context, that is enough capacity at peak demand to power 10,000 – 11,000 homes simultaneously.** \- Four sustainable battery energy storage systems (BESS) \- Over 3 Megawatts of HVAC equipment and associated ancillaries: \- Multiple Primary Chillers, ranging from 250kW to 500kW \- Multiple External Air Handlers – to Overhead Ducting (Main Jumbo Structure) \- Internal Fan Coil Units (Main Jumbo Structure) \- Multiple Air Conditioning Units, across a range of 6kW, 45/50kW and 90kW Units \- 60,000-litre fuel storage capacity \- 17.5km of electrical cabling \- 103 distribution boards \- 178 lighting fixtures ## Summary The two other biggest factors which contributed to the success of the project were the relationship of trust established between GL events and the client, developed over a number of years from previous delivery. Secondly, the resource within the wider GL events team and their ability to collaborate successfully. This is well summarised by Project Manager, Lucy Bardon who commented, “When the client called two days before the project started and told us it was happening, he had full faith that we could do it. It was not at all easy to pull off – resource was tight, especially during peak season, and the heat wave exacerbated the challenges. It required huge effort from the whole team, across multiple departments, business units and depots. We talk about the amazing sense of community within the client organisation, but I think the fact that we work so well here as a team, with all the different services and business units. The fact that our power and HVAC provision was integrated, in-house, made solving challenges and responding to client needs seamless. The collaboration and teamwork is what ultimately helped us make the project such a success.” Lucy Bardon Project Manager The client Project Manager, highlighted how our collaborative teamwork, expertise and integration made the complex event possible, “That we were able to deliver an event of this scale, complexity and significance so successfully is testament to the dedication of all those who stepped forward to make it possible. I offer you my deepest thanks for your partnership, dedication and support. It has been a privilege to work alongside you, and I remain profoundly grateful for the role you played in the success of Ashara Mubaraka London 1448H." Dr Qusai Arsiwala Project Manager, Ashara Mubaraka London 1448H [ Back to overview ](https://www.glevents.co.uk/experience) Copy