A family prepares date-filled mini cakes for the Eid ul-Fitr

West Yorkshire's Muslim community is celebrating the end of the holy month of Ramadan this weekend.

Thousands of people will get together with their closest relatives to mark Eid-ul-Fitr, which is the symbolic end of the celebration of Ramadan.

Throughout Eid-ul-Fitr, or Eid as it is known, Muslims will also thank God for the help and strength which he gave to help them fast.

It is believed that fasting helps Muslims to focus their thoughts on the plight of less fortunate people and this is an important part of Ramadan.

But for one non-Muslim, the celebration of Eid is of special importance.

Eilish Bromley from Bradford has been fasting during the holy month.

She said that fasting between dawn and dusk was not as difficult as people might think.

She explains: "It was quite easy because I got used to the fasting. My body overcame the fact of not eating during the day.

"I would eat after sunset and then again before dawn.

In a sense my body was getting a bit tired and I was still going to work. Eilish Bromely, Bradford

"Some days I was not sleeping before eating and would drink water constantly all the time.

"In a sense my body was getting a bit tired and I was still going to work. I did have a lack of energy. I had friends who were fasting so that helped."

Better Understanding

Eilish says although she is not a Muslim, she wanted to gain a better understanding of what her Muslim friends were going through.

She also wanted to have a better insight into why fasting during the holy month is such an important part of their faith.

She says: "I think for them fasting for their religion is an important part. It's one of their five pillars of Islam.

"I was happy to be doing it to get a better understanding behind the reasons. To be grateful for what we have, and feel more for the people less fortunate then ourselves, who are starving around the world.

"My friends were thanking me so much. I learnt a lot about myself and I've got to understand people.

"People in Pakistan have got the floods going on and they're still fasting. That made me think if they can do it, I can do it."

Eilish Bromely is preparing for Eid to celebrate her month of fasting

Eilish adds taking part in the holy month has earned her "brownie points" with her family too.

She says: "My dad said he was really proud of me, so was my mum. She was helping me a lot in the month. She was making me food and making sure I had lots to drink.

"I was doing it for other people and not for myself."

Eilish says fasting for the whole duration of the month was difficult and she had to take a couple of days off, or she would have fallen ill.

But she says even then she managed to keep more fasts then some of her Muslim friends, who she adds were very impressed with her efforts.

Something Special

So What are Eilish's plans for Eid?

She says: "I will have my own celebration so I will be going to my friend's wedding and then we will all go out for a meal.

My friends who helped encourage me to fast want to treat me to a meal out. So we all plan to dress up and do something special."

Eilish says she plans on fasting again next year, but will be taking it a step further.

She explains: Hopefully will be doing it again. I'm hoping to do some volunteering in Gambia and I'm going to fast there.

She says: "Fasting isn't as hard in the UK as it is in other countries, so that will be the real challenge."