London East gurdwara recognised for years of service helping rough sleepers

By Aaron Walawalkar | ILFORD RECORDER |

A Seven Kings Sikh temple has been presented with an award by a charity in recognition of its tireless work to feed the borough’s rough sleepers.

Volunteers at the Gurdwara Singh Sabha London East, in High Road, have been preparing and delivering cooked food to clients of The Welcome Centre, in St Mary’s Road, every fortnight for six years.

The group also donates toiletries, soaps, shower gels and razors to the centre.

These donations are funded by the Lions Club of Fairlop, based in Eton Road, a branch of an international network of volunteers who raise money to tackle challenges within their communities.

The club awarded the Gurdwara a trophy in honour of their years of commitment earlier this month.

It also maintains a reserve fund for rough sleepers recovering from surgery or cancer treatment to stay in bed and breakfast

“The assistance we provide does not take a homeless person off the streets, but it does make life a bit more bearable for them,” said the club’s Charanjit Bhatia.

See original story, entitled ‘Seven Kings Sikh temple awarded trophy for years of service helping rough sleepers’, here.