Sikh Association South Wales (SASW) June 2012 Newsletter

SASW Newsletter June 2012

Sikh Association South Wales

Welcome to the 2012 edition of the SASW

newsletter and SASW’s 27th year of existence.

As always we have many events, some

established and some new, for our members so

be sure to check our calendar of events on page

1 (that’s below).

One of our new ventures, Ladies health care, has

already organised 2 successful events. You can

read about both events on page 5 with future

events currently being planned.

There’s a great article about our annual beach

party written from the view of a non SASW

member and 2 articles by Kuldip Gill who is fast

becoming a frequent guest writer.

Of course the editors have also

contributed, with an interesting article

about Sikhs in South Wales from a personal

point of view on page 7.

The SASW newsletter is run by volunteers

and is always open to guest articles,

feedback, suggestions and letters to the

Editor. Please feel free to contact us on

the details given on page 10.

We hope you enjoy reading this issue.

Channi and Mandeep

Features:

SASW’s Ladies Health

Education

Sikhs in South Wales

Punjabi Mehfil Evening

The Quiet Hero

Contents Page

Calendar of Events 1

President’s Message 2

SASW Office Bearers 2

SASW Events 3

2012 Membership 3

Beach Picnic 4

SASW Ladies Health

Education 5

SASW Badminton 6

Sikh in South Wales 1960 to

2011 7

Punjabi Mehfil Evening 9

Khalsa Aid 10

Vaisakhi Function 11

Knight of St Gregory 11

The Quiet Hero 12

About SASW 12

Articles Welcome 12

Important SASW dates for your diary. Please contact the editor for more

information – Please see page 10 for contact details.

Event Date Venue

SASW Badminton

(See page 6 for

more information)

Every Thursday 7:30pm to

9:30pm

Canton Community

Centre, Cardiff

Punjabi Mehfil

(See page 9 for

more information)

Friday, 14th September 2012 –

7.30 to 9.30pm

Friday, 14th December 2012 –

7.30 to 9.30pm

Welsh Millennium Centre,

Japan Room

Beach Picnic TBC Saturday – July/August

2012

TBC

Cultural sightseeing

tour

TBC TBC

Ladies Health

Education

TBC TBC

Editor’s Welcome

SASW Calendar of Events

2 SASW NEWSLETTER – JUNE 2012

President’s Message

SASW Office Bearers – 2010 to 2011 The following office bearers were elected at the last SASW AGM.

President

Secretary

Treasurer

Comm. Members

Auditor

Executive Council

Several other activities are planned and no doubt you will be informed of these through this and other newsletters. Towards

this effort I must thank the entire team on the committee for their new ideas that build on our previous activities.

I congratulate you for your unstinting efforts. However, I must mention Channi Kaler for his sterling effort as a treasurer, co-

editor of the newsletter, organiser of badminton club, organiser of Mehfil evenings, contribution towards his singing prowess on

social events etc. etc. who has on occasions even admonished me on sloppy response to his emails – Channi, many thanks!

Finally, it remains for me to emphasise that the association belongs to you all and to your relatives and friends who have not

yet become members. Do please encourage them to become part of this happy family. Your suggestions and ideas are

always welcome!

With all my very best wishes

Gurvinder S. Baicher

Dear Members

I am delighted to welcome you to another year of activities

of Sikh Association South Wales. This year takes us to the 27th

year of the formation of our association and through thick

and thin, we have had some momentous times on this

journey.

Similar to previous years, we are continuing to organise

several events this year as well. The Diwali event held in

Pontyclun was a resounding success as was the recently held

Vaisaki function which you can read about on page 11.

Thanks to all of you who attended.

Photo of the SASW Committee taken at Vaisakhi function 25th May 2012

Left to Right : Channi Kaler (Treasurer), Surinder Narula (Comm. Member),

Gidhha Group Organiser, Gurdeep Kaur (Comm. Member), Surinder Channa

(Secretary), Gurvinder Baicher (President)

Only viewable in printed edition

SASW NEWSLETTER – JUNE 2012 3

SASW Events

The annual SASW

membership is due for the

year June 2012 to May

2013.

SASW is a non-profit making

organisation and relies on

subscriptions and grants in

order to operate.

All the committee members

(including newsletter

editors - Ed) are volunteers

and the subscription money

helps pay for letters,

newsletters and events as

the money taken for tickets

does not always cover the

costs of catering, venue

and entertainment.

The annual subscription is

only £5.00 each, an

amount that has not

increased since 1985.

If parents are members

then their children under 18

years of age can also enjoy

all membership privileges at

no extra cost meaning a

family can all be members

for £10 a year.

To date SASW has 105

members who pay by

standing order and we

would like to thank these

members for their

commitment.

Last year 60 new members

joined and we would like to

encourage them to take

out standing orders to

ensure the continuation of

SASW.

(We don’t want to chase

you and you don’t want to

be chased - Ed).

If you are interested in

paying your membership

by standing order, please

contact the treasurer

Channi Kaler.

SASW was formed in 1985 and it is a non-

political and non-profit making organisation.

We have met the needs of the Sikh community

in South Wales while keeping the Sikh principles

in mind.

Events have been organised to raise the

profiles of Sikhs in the local community (see

page 7 for a report on Sikhs in South Wales).

Over the past 27 years we have established 4

major annual events which are a Vaisakhi

Function, a Diwali Function, a New Year Event

and a Family Picnics at venues around South

Wales.

We have had some well-known Artists like –

Malkit Singh, Silinder Pardesi and Channi &

Alap.

Other events organised include:

Seminars on Sikh Cultural awareness

Mehfils and Kavi Darbars

Coach trips to places of interest

e.g. Victoria & Albert Museum to

see the Sikh Heritage Exhibition

and Ladies trips to Leicester and

Wembley

Attending Punjabi Plays and

visiting the London West End

Gup Shup Evenings and Ladies

only gatherings

SASW Ladies Groups

A thriving badminton club

Golf coaching sessions

Teaching of Musical Instruments

such as the Harmonium and

Tabla.

Such a variety of events have been

arranged in the last 27 years.

Anyone requiring any more information

please feel free to approach any of the

Committee Members.

2012 Membership

The 2000/01 Committee

Members seen with the

Internationally known

Punjabi Star, Malkit Singh

at the Vaisakhi function

held at The Coal

Exchange, Cardiff on 30

April 2000.

“If you are interested in

paying your membership

by standing order, please

contact the treasurer

Channi Kaler.”


Saturday 24th July 2010 By Harvinder Panesar

Beach Picnic Review

Every year we organise a

Beach Picnic on a Saturday

in July or August. The 2011

Picnic was cut short due to

inclement weather,

however, a report on the

2010 Picnic is given below

from one of our visitors from

London.

Note the weather was

cloudy but dry and warm

as the sun came out in late

afternoon. Approximately

25 people attended. Enjoy

the article - Ed.

“Beautiful Sandy

Beach”

Five pairs of watchful eyes

pored over the weather

forecast for the umpteenth

time the day before the

SASW picnic.

“It had better not rain” my

mum said ominously.

The day dawned with a

light smattering of rain, to a

chorus of dismay from my

children, who were virtually

hysterical at the prospect

of actually going to a

beach which didn't involve

a painfully long flight

somewhere.

Fortunately, it soon cleared

and after a flurry of activity,

we were finally on our way.

The clouds broke and rays

of sun shone through as we

left, a portent of the

fantastic day ahead.

As a complete newcomer

to the picnic, (I was only in

Cardiff for the weekend by

a happy coincidence), I

really wasn't sure what to

expect.

Ever the optimist, I had

packed sunglasses and sun

cream, but hedged my

bets with a brolly...

Imagine my surprise when a

mere half hour drive from

Cardiff, we arrived at

breathtakingly beautiful

sandy beach in a setting of

rugged cliffs and vast slabs

of grey, flat weather

beaten rock, which

provided a perfect setting

for our picnic blankets and

barbecue.

Furthermore, unlike most

beaches in the UK, this is

completely unspoilt, with

only a small shop selling

essentials next to the car

park, and not a single

gaudy ride (to my relief!),

games arcade or chip

shop in sight.

As we parked, my parents

waved cheerfully at others

arriving, and a few minutes

later, we were all

comfortably ensconced in

a sheltered corner, and a

vast array of deliciously

scented food began to

appear from various picnic

hampers.

Chilled beers and soft drinks

were handed out, amid

laughter and chatter as old

friends renewed their

acquaintance among

lovely surroundings and

others introduced

themselves to me.

I greedily filled my plate

with some heavenly

parothas and alu sabji and

a selection of the other

treats on offer.

My children gobbled down

their food with unseemly

haste so that they could

use their newly acquired

buckets and spades on the

sand and were soon

happily knee deep,

building trenches, moats

and impenetrable castles.

“Channi Uncle” joined

them for a game of sand

kicking, much to their

hilarity, whilst some

barbecues were lit on the

rocks.

Other beach goers inhaled

the unmistakable aroma of

Indian food and gazed

longingly over; they were

soon invited to share in the

largesse and chat.

More children arrived and

they all flew a kite on the

beach, laughing with

delight at the feel of the

sand under their feet and

the sound of crashing

waves.

Replete, the adults ambled

down to the sand for a

jocular game of hockey

darting back and forth like

bullets.

After all the activity, it was

definitely time for Round

Two of General Gorging

and Gossip. Sitting there

contentedly, I learned that

this amazing beach is used

to film Dr Who whilst I talked

with the friendly crowd. We

were extremely lucky on

the day, it was warm and

dry and there were even

rare outbreaks of sunshine,

and many had taken the

opportunity for a paddle.

I was immensely glad that I

had had the chance to

take part in the picnic, it

was an excellent outing; a

fine time was had by all

and even before my

children were safely belted

into the car, they were

already asking when they

would be able to return.

I will certainly make a

special effort to come

down next year for the

picnic, my only regret is

that, in all the years I have

been to Cardiff, I have

never visited Southerndown

Beach before.

SASW Beach Party – July 2010


SASW has decided to help

raise awareness of health

issues and has decided to

organise regular meetings

to promote health and

wellbeing.

Therefore a Health

Education Day for Ladies

was arranged to make

them aware about good

health practices in daily life

and give information about

services available.

Event 1 - December

2011

The event which focussed

on cancer and stress was

held on Saturday the 3rd

December 2011 at the Park

Inn Cardiff North hotel.

The first session focussed on

cancer awareness with

breast, cervical and bowel

addressed. Nurse Helen

Jessop, a specialist for

Breast Awareness

Programme presented the

session,

Nurse practitioner Helen

gave comprehensive

information about these

conditions, which ladies

found very informative and

helpful.

They were told that these

deadly conditions once

found in time can save

human life by appropriate

treatment and help and

also how to recognise the

signs/ symptoms of these

conditions and seek

immediate help from GPs.

Helen also provided leaflets

on the subject.

Registered Counsellor

Shikha Das presented the

second session on Stress

Management in daily life.

Shikha first explained how

anxiety is generated by our

irrational distorted thoughts

and feelings in our mind

and they are usually about

us.

These inaccurate thoughts

are usually used to

reinforce negative thinking

or emotions and affect all

of us in some stage of our

life.

Shikha then explained how

to manage it in everyday

life and also gave practical

demonstration how to de-

stress ourselves by

breathing exercises.

She also provided

informative handouts to the

ladies which gave

guidance as to how to

beat stress/anxiety.

Both sessions were very

interactive with question

and answers from

audience. They were

found to be very helpful

and insightful for everyone.

The meeting ended with

light refreshment and a

request by those present to

arrange similar

programmes in the future.

Event 2 - May 2012

Due to the interest of the

first event, a second was

organised on Saturday the

5th May 2012 at the same

venue.

The specific aim of the 2nd

event on Ladies Health &

Wellbeing was to inform,

train and manage

everyday emergencies

faced by individuals during

their day to day life at

home and outside.

The St John’s Ambulance

team was invited to give us

some practical knowledge

and instructions

In basic First Aid Training

subjects covered were

related to conditions such

as:

Chocking in adults and

children

Angina and Heart

Attacks

Burns

Resuscitation of

unconscious patients.

The session was very

interactive and the SASW

Ladies practiced the

techniques on dummies as

well as 2 volunteers from

the group.

The meeting was attended

by 20 ladies and was highly

appreciated by everyone

and by the end of the

session everyone felt

confident in themselves to

deal with most

emergencies covered.

At 4pm refreshments were

served which was followed

by light entrainment session

of singing, poetry and

jokes, involving and

enjoyed by all.

A third session is currently

being considered with

issues such as obesity,

diabetes, hypertension,

high cholesterol and

memory loss which can be

brought to the awareness

of ladies under the health

education drive by SASW.

For further Information

contact:

Mrs. Gurdeep Kaur –

Tel. 0000000000

Dr Surinder Kaur Narula –

Tel. 0000000000.

By Gurdeep Kaur

SASW Ladies Health Education

A section of the audience at the SASW Ladies Health Group meeting

on 3 December 2011.


Eyebrows furrowed in

concentration, I muster all

my energy. We must win

this time. Failure is simply

not an option.

I hit as hard as I can

manage, register flailing

arms across the net and

the air is rent with loud

whoops of delight as my

partner comes thundering

towards me, arms raised in

a triumphant gesture. The

Old Gits have finally won

against the Young Bloods.

“Great shot!” from across

the net as our rivals run

across, grinning impishly.

“Next time! Just wait... ”

The waiting players holler

their congratulations as

they take over the court.

There is absolutely nothing

to compare to the sheer

physical exhilaration of

pushing yourself to the limit

in these badminton games,

every point is fought

ferociously, as if our lives

depended on it, and

across the courts, jocular

shouts of encouragement

and groans of frustration

can be heard as players

pelt around the court at

frantic speeds; the

occasional miscalculation

of distance resulting in loud,

somewhat painful clashes

as players cannon into

each other, or a sharply

swung racket.

As we wander back to the

changing rooms, friends for

life, holding forth on every

topic imaginable, all is well

with the world. My fellow

players hail from all walks of

life, brought together by

our mutual love of sport

and physical fitness.

Some are experts and

share their expertise

generously with others,

others come to improve

their game and have a

good chin wag, others

simply come when they

can manage to fit a game

into their busy schedules, it

provides a welcome relief

from the pressures of the

daily grind.

Our badminton sessions are

a much anticipated joy,

and greatly enrich my

social life, the “regulars”

email each other to keep in

touch and exchange news.

New players at any level

are always welcomed with

open arms, we all relish the

opportunity for a fresh

unknown challenge and

new friends in the making.

One thing we all have in

common is that all of us,

without exception, are

indebted to the SASW

organisers for their tireless

hard work over the last 27

years, since the inception

of the SASW Badminton at

Canton Community

Centre.

We salute Channi, who has

been our community

coach, supporter, and

indefatigable worker who

has voluntarily overcome

every obstacle to make

these sessions possible, and

made a difference to the

Sikhs in particular, as well as

other Asians & the local

population of Cardiff.

Long may it all continue.

ED’s Comments

I wrote in the 1st SASW

Newsletter (March 1985)

that hardly 1% of the Sikh

population of South Wales

play sports on a regular

basis.

During the summer of 1986

some SASW committee

members approached me

to organise some sort of

physical exercise for the

adults.

Knowing that Badminton is

a sport where all members

of a family can take part

together, I booked courts

at the Welsh Institute of

Sport at Sophia gardens in

July 1986 and was

delighted to see some 20

adults turn up on the first

day.

We moved to the present

premises, Canton

Community Hall in

September 1986.

The SASW Badminton club

has been in existence since

1986 but will the section still

exist in 2036? If we have

support by the 2011

members in the

photograph above – then

hopefully it will, however

we are always looking for

new members.

You are never too old to

start playing and all are

welcome.

We hold a 2 hour session

7:30pm to 9:30pm every

Thursday at Canton

Community Hall.

By Kuldip Gill

SASW Badminton

Standing Left to Right - Minesh Patel, Sandeep Kamath, Sarabjeet Singh,

Tina Riley, Gurnam Bhogal, Kishor Barchha, Jaskirat Chana

Sitting Left to Right - Sukhdev Grewal, Kuldip Gill, Parminder Bhogal

(Finance), Channi Kaler (Organiser) Amarjeet Dhadda

Insets - Jasdeep Sethi, Inderpal Singh, Farooq Mohamed, Rob Smith, Santosh

Singh (Missing - Goldie Singh)


I was lucky enough to be

asked to give a talk about

Sikhs from my personal view

at the History Day event

held at the Cardiff Central

Library on 24 September

2011.

What follows is an abridged

version of my speech for

readers to enjoy - Ed.

There has been a Sikh

Community in Riverside

since the 1950’s – mainly

the Bhatra Community (a

talk was given earlier about

the Bhatra Community –

Ed).

Sikhs arrive

As far as I know, the first

influx of Sikhs into South

Wales, during the 1950s

and 1960s (besides the

Riverside Bhatra

community) was of Sikh

students who came for

further education.

The late 1960s and early

1970s saw the upheaval of

the Asian community in

East Africa, mainly from

Kenya and Uganda, but

only a few Sikh families

settled in South Wales as

the first generation prefers

to settle in areas where

there is lots of industry and

therefore work.

When I arrived in Cardiff, in

September 1961, I did not

even know that Wales was

a separate country from

England and existed as a

separate part of the United

Kingdom.

I was put right about this in

no uncertain terms by my

English and especially

Welsh friends in the

University.

My Welsh friends asked me

to spread the word around

the world during my travels

that Wales is a separate

country with its own

language and culture and

proud of it.

Even now when I visit India,

Africa, USA or Canada

people introduce me as a

visitor from England. I

always remember my

Welsh friend’s request and

try to educate others about

the existence of Wales.

Even my two sons usually

wear Cardiff or Welsh

jerseys when we visit any

local Public attractions like

Disney World, Universal

Studios etc. A good boost

for the Welsh Tourist

Industry.

As students we made good

friends in South Wales. I

remember the trolley buses

running in the middle of

Queen Street and not

many cars were seen on

the streets. British Council,

situated at the corner of St.

Mary Street and Caroline

Street (opposite the Prince

of Wales cinema) was

home from home for

Overseas Students.

It was the only place in

town where we could see

a movie on a Sunday.

Christian religious values

had a great influence on

life in South Wales, so no

movies, no drinking (all

pubs were closed) and no

other entertainment on

Sundays.

I remember voting in a

national referendum to

allow Public Houses to

open on Sundays.

I enjoyed the hospitality of

my Welsh friends when they

used to invite me to their

family homes where they

used to treat us as

members of their family (in

West Wales mainly).

This was much appreciated

by us students as we could

not afford to go home

during the short Christmas

and Easter breaks.

In the 1950s and 1960s,

Britain also opened its doors

for immigrants from

Commonwealth countries

to fill employment gaps in

Industry such as in Local

Authorities, and the

National Health Service. My

own wife worked as a nurse

in Caerphilly Miners District

Hospital for more than 35

years.

At that time, Coal Mining

was the main industry

underpinning the economy

in the Valleys.

People in the Valleys were

hard working and were

very friendly and

considerate.

Some Welshmen had come

in contact with Sikh soldiers

in the British army during

the war, so there was a little

awareness of the Sikh

culture. This was helpful in

the early Sikh immigrants to

settle down in South Wales.

Some had opened shops

and pharmacies, thus

providing a service to the

general public in South

Wales.

As with all religious

communities, the focal

point for the spiritual and

social needs require a

meeting place as the

Church, Masjid, Mandir,

Synagogue or as in our

case – The Gurdwara.

A Gurdwara has existed in

the Riverside since the

1950s but with the growing

Sikh population a need was

felt for another premises –

so we started meeting in a

school hall in 1977 and

acquired premises in Pearl

Street, Roath – in 1979.

By Channi Kaler

Sikhs in South Wales

1960 to 2011

Channi Kaler talking at Cardiff Central Library,

Inset Bhatra Gurdwara established in 1956


Many groups of Students

and teachers from local

schools and colleges have

visited the Gurdwara and

have enjoyed the Sikh

hospitality.

Our biggest problem has

been to keep the mother

tongue, Punjabi, alive in our

younger generation born in

Wales. This is a problem

similar to teaching

youngsters Welsh, however

being in Wales, you have

Welsh Schools and Welsh TV

channel. We struggle to

teach Punjabi at our

Sunday School without

much help from Local

Authorities and Education

Department.

I believe it was that great

Welshman, Saunders Lewis,

who made the defiant

statement at The Old Bailey

in 1936: “If you want to kill a

nation (or culture) – Kill its

Language.” This occurred

when there was a great

possibility of the Welsh

Language dying out.

Recent influx of

Sikhs

The most recent influx of

Sikhs has been from India.

They have bought small

running businesses in South

Wales and there is a

thriving Sikh community

that contributes to all

facets of Welsh life. Now

we find shops being run by

Sikh families in many Valley

towns and see larger

businesses thriving in cities

like Cardiff and Swansea,

under the ownership of Sikh

families.

A few have ventured into

the Printing, Hotels,

Restaurants and Taxis with

many bringing in

investment from outside of

Wales.

Sikhs in Welsh Sports

In sports Sikhs have

represented South Wales

clubs on the international

and local stage in Hockey,

Tennis, Squash, Badminton,

Cricket, etc.

I remember many trips to

the continent and further

afield when out of the

eleven players on the

hockey pitch representing

the Welsh Champions in

Hockey, there used to be

at least 3 Sikhs in the team.

Sikhs have also served in

various management

positions in many Sports

Clubs e.g. Cardiff Hockey

Club, Sophia Gardens

Squash Club, Caerphilly

Squash Club and various

University Sports Clubs.

All Sikhs I know support

Wales and their local Clubs

in all sports. The older

generation would support

India against Wales –

however, that is not a

problem as I am not aware

of any International

matches between Wales

and India.

If we were taking the

‘Norman Tebbit’ test of

being British, that is who do

you support on the sports

fields, then I believe most

Welshmen, Irishmen and

Scotsmen will fail that test –

and so will we Welsh Sikhs.

As most of my non English

British friends I know, always

tend to support any other

country against England.

Sikhs in Modern Day

Britain

Today we live in an

environment far removed

from that of the Sixties.

There has been great

progress, over the years, in

every field due to major

breakthroughs in science

and technology. South

Wales has changed along

with the rest of the country.

The small Sikh community,

although well settled, is not

immune to changes

affecting every aspect of

life. The younger

generation Sikhs are more

at ease with electronic

gadgets.

However, I hope our basic

energy, endurance,

hospitality and chivalry

remains an integral part of

social life and we continue

to contribute positively to

Welsh life in general. We

are a very large hearted

community and we try to

co-exist with others happily

and integrate into local life

without losing our identity.

To meet our social needs

an Association called Sikh

Association South Wales

was formed in 1985.

We have organised

Vaisakhi & Diwali functions

every year, arranged

picnics on various beaches

in South Wales – organised

Seminars and Punjabi

Mehfils at the Wales

Millennium Centre and

meet weekly to play

Badminton.

Sikh Gurdwara Cardiff – SASW’s home

Bhatra Gurdwara – modern day

Nanak Darbar Gurdwara – by John Grayson

SASW Seminar at Oakdale Community Centre, 1996


Punjabi Mehfil Evening

Another “Mehfil” evening

that my wife and I have

been lucky enough to

enjoy at Wales Millennium

Centre in Cardiff Bay, a

fitting cultural backdrop for

these evenings of

entertainment.

For our consumption, there

is prose, poetry and songs

in Punjabi. Astonishingly,

given the quality of the

evenings and our plush

surroundings, they are

provided absolutely free of

charge, and never fail to

provoke thought and

delight.

These Mehfil sessions are

arranged on a quarterly

basis and we would urge

members of our community

to come forward to

participate in them. All are

most welcome.

The gatherings consist of

people of diverse

backgrounds who come

together to share folklore in

the form of articles from

individual readings ,

personally written pieces

and some even share some

witty jokes that all can

enjoy.

The readers and singers are

without exception, talented

performers and have that

indefinable ability to hold

their spectators rapt. Many,

like me, can only marvel at

their abilities and simply

come to spectate.

Far away from our

homelands, the older

contingent hearken back

to our cultural values

embodied in these Mehfil

evenings, younger

community members learn

about the infinitely rich

tapestry of our background

and come to identify with

our fierce pride and sense

of belonging.

New contributions, in

Punjabi (and sometimes

Urdu) are strongly

encouraged.

Sometimes, tears rise

unbidden to my eyes as the

lilting cadences of the

melody weave their way

into my heart and soul.

Long forgotten bittersweet

memories transport me into

the hot, dusty world of my

childhood. As the rhythms

of the hypnotic song ebb

to a close, I am dimly

aware of others around

me, handkerchiefs raised to

eyes, and heads swaying

from side to side in that

timeless Indian gesture of

appreciation.

Now it’s time for something

different, the onlookers

rustle in a flurry of

anticipation and minutes

later, the appreciative

audience is roaring with

laughter at a provocative

bit of prose, and the mood

has completely shifted.

Our sincere gratitude must

be expressed to all

participants and

contributors to these

wonderful evenings.

ED’s Comments

The Punjabi Mehfil were

originally created to

promote Punjabi Language

in South Wales.

These Mehfils are non-

political and non-religious

and local enthusiasts

participate by reading or

singing their favourite items

of poetry or light hearted

prose.

We started with the Punjabi

Kavi Darbar in 2008. Over

the last 2 years the Mehfil

has been held at Chapter

Arts Centre and the Wales

Millennium Centre on a

regular basis.

The Mehfil is considered to

be a great success by all

those who attend. It is an

interesting blend of

performing arts, literature

and light hearted comedy

and brings together the

Punjabi communities of

both Indian and Pakistani

origin resident in South

Wales.

For further information

please contact:

Harbhajan Preet

Tel: 0000000000, or

Mohamed Afzal Tel:

000000000, email –e-

[email protected]

We take this opportunity to

thank The Welsh Academy,

Literature Wales, Cardiff

Council and Communities

Language Service for their

help in establishing the

Punjabi Mehfil in South

Wales.

“The gatherings consist of

people of diverse

backgrounds who come

together to share folklore

in the form of articles

“from” individual readings,

personally written pieces

and some even share

some witty jokes that all

can enjoy.”

Friday 9th December 2011

By Kuldip Gill

For further information

please contact:

Harbhajan Preet

or

Mohamed Afzal


Charity: Khalsa Aid

“We can think of the great

humanitarian enterprises

which bring relief to those

who are suffering - the Red

Cross, the Red Crescent or

Islamic Relief, CAFOD and

Christian Aid, Hindu Aid

and SEWA International,

World Jewish Relief and

Khalsa Aid - all the

charities which draw

inspiration from the

teachings of the different

faiths.”

Former British Prime Minister

Tony Blair

SASW is made possible by

volunteers and donations

given by its members (as

well as membership fees –

Ed).

We also recognise that

there are many other

organisations that require

donations to help them

carry out good work in the

community and we

thought we should make

SASW members aware of

Khalsa Aid.

Khalsa Aid was established

in 1999 as an International

non-profit aid and relief

organisation and was

founded on the Sikh

principles of selfless service.

It is a UK Registered Charity

(Charity Number: 1080374)

and has volunteers all over

the world. Khalsa Aid has

launched over 20

International Relief missions

for victims of disasters, wars,

and other tragic events

around the world.

Some of Khalsa Aid’s past

projects include:

Albania - Aiding

Displaced Kosovan

Refugees;

Turkey - Earthquake

relief;

Orissa, India -

Rehabilitation after a

Devastating Typhoon;

DR Congo - Relief

efforts in response to a

Volcanic Eruption;

Kabul, Afghanistan -

War Rehabilitation

Assistance;

Tsunami - Providing

Food, Shelter &

Sanitation;

Punjab Drugs Project -

Drugs Abuse in Punjab;

Displaced Sikhs in

Pakistan - Punja Sahib

Gurudwara, Pakistan.

The above list is just a few

examples of the many

good works Khalsa Aid has

been involved in with

current projects including:

Syrian Refugees,

Refugees of the Libyan

Conflict, and,

Water4Haiti.

Not only does Khalsa Aid

help where it is most

needed they also promote

a positive view of Sikhs

serving the world

community.

Today the affluent world

Sikh community should take

Sikh identity further afield,

where it matters and makes

an impact.

Ensuring a continual Sikh

presence amongst leading

world charities helps

provide a positive image of

Sikhs among those who

may not have access to

education and knowledge

we take for granted.

Langar Sewa is needed out

there in the field and not

just within Gurdwaras and

encouraging charities such

as Khalsa Aid shows the

world that Sikhi is inclusive

and does believe in

“Human race is one”.

Charities run on donations,

and donating money in the

memory of a loved one is

becoming more popular as

the family of the deceased

ask well-wishers not to send

flowers but to donate to a

nominated charity.

Perhaps next time you’re

thinking of buying flowers

for the memory of the

loved one, a charity

donation to a worthy

charity may be a better

option to honour their

memory.

Ravinder Singh Sidhu, Chairman/Founder of Khalsa Aid.

Picture from www.khalsaaid.org

Charities that SASW

encourages donations to:

Khalsa Aid

www.khalsaaid.org

Help The Aged

www.ageuk.org.uk

Cancer Research UK

www.cancerresearchuk.org

Children In Need

www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey

Pingalwara

www.pingalwaraonline.org

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey


Vaisakhi function held at

De Courceys Manor,

Pentrych on 25th May 2012

It is with profound elation I

report the festivities

enjoyed by one and all

who attended the above

function.

The event was marked by

an excellent venue, some

stunning Punjabi folk dance

(gidha) performers from

Birmingham, music,

dancing and good food.

The feedback I received

during and after the

function was excellent. It

was indeed pleasing to see

a number of our

‘youngsters’ and their

children running around

and enjoying the music

and dancing to it

themselves.

It only remains for me to

thank all our committee

members for all their

contribution towards the

gidha performers, for raffle

prizes and generally for

organising the event and

managing the function on

the day.

With my very best wishes,

Gurvinder Baicher

By Gurvinder Baicher

SASW Celebration of Vaisakhi function

Sikh Leader made a Knight of St Gregory

On Sunday 22 April 2012, Dr

Mohinder Singh Ahluwalia

was invested, as a Knight of

the Pontifical Order of Pope

St Gregory the Great in St

Chad’s Cathedral.

Mohinder Singh was given

the honour for his

dedicated work to Sikh and

Roman Catholic relations

and for his commitment to

working for peace among

people of all faiths.

Reverend Bernard Longley,

Archbishop of Birmingham,

invested the respected

Spiritual Leader and

Chairman of Guru Nanak

Nishkam Sewak Jatha, in

the Handsworth area of

Birmingham, with one of

the highest Papal Awards.

The Order of St Gregory is

normally bestowed on

Catholics but it can also be

conferred on non-Catholics

in recognition of service to

the Catholic Church and

the exceptional example

they have set in their

communities and country.

Archbishop Bernard

Longley stated:

“I believe that it is the first

time that a Papal Honour

has been bestowed in this

way on a spiritual leader

from within the Sikh

community.

It represents the Holy

Father’s recognition of Bhai

Sahib Bhai’s deeply held

desire for fruitful and lasting

relations between Sikhs and

Catholics and opportunities

to witness together.”

As part of the ceremony

which included traditional

Christian hymns, Sikh

musicians played along to

shabads which were also

performed reflecting the

cooperation of the two

faiths.

Mr. William Ozanne was

also invested during the

same ceremony.

Images courtesy of Peter Jennings


The Quiet Hero

As discussed in the Sikhs in

South Wales article,

members of SASW have

contributed to community

life in South Wales over the

years in many ways.

One of our members, Dr

Harbhajan Singh aka Harri,

was named as ‘the quiet

hero’ by the Cardiff Herald

and Post newspaper for his

work with sick homeless

people living on the streets

of Cardiff.

Harri who worked as a GP

in Cardiff was shocked that

there was a lack of services

for homeless people after

giving lifesaving treatment

and arranging a hospital

bed for a man sleeping

rough in the Bute Street

area of Cardiff.

This prompted Harri to setup

a twice weekly surgery for

the city centre’s homeless

with a 24 hour backup

service.

Harri stated “Most of the

homeless were being

turned away from GP’s

surgeries and that was my

first awareness of the

problem”.

In recognition of his work Dr

Harbhajan Singh was

awarded the silver Medical

Community Award for his

services to the community.

Harri went on to state “My

one hope is that helping in

this way would encourage

other doctors and those

with influence in the

community to raise their

own awareness of the

problem”.

About Sikh Association South Wales Sikh Association South Wales (SASW) was formed in 1985 as a non-political and non-profit

making organisation. Its main aim is to meet the needs of our community in South Wales

while keeping the Sikh principles in mind. In the last 27 years, the committees, led by very

proactive Presidents, have been able to obtain funding from various authorities and

organise events for the benefit of the local community.

SASW continues to grow by following the rules set out in its constitution and by adapting

with the needs of its Membership. With your help we hope to continue meeting the

requirements of our community – both young and old.

SASW Newsletter - Articles Welcome The last SASW Newsletter was produced in June 2010 and nearly a 2 year gap seems too

long. Like the rest of SASW, the Newsletter is put together by volunteers and we are always

looking for content from any members. If you have any suggestions about SASW or you can

contribute any articles or ‘Letters to the Editor’ for the Newsletter, please contact the editor

with the details below.

Only viewable in printed edition

Dr. Harri Singh with his Silver

Medical Community Award

“Dr Harbhajan Singh aka

Harri, was named as ‘the

quiet hero’ … for his work

with sick homeless people”

Articles, comments and

suggestions are welcome.

Documents

Sikh Association South Wales (SASW) June 2012 Newsletter