Faith communities and activists have played a significant part in volunteering activities for the Big Help Out on Coronation Bank Holiday Monday. Events and initiatives took place all over the country involving Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and other communities. Anoopam Mission’s Bake competition was a major highlight of the community events.
Senior faith leaders also took part in Big Help Out activities. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby with his wife Mrs Caroline Welby, served lunch at a homeless charity, Catching Lives in Canterbury. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, and Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Rebecca Cottrell, helped out at a Trussell Trust food bank at St Joseph’s Church in York.
Faith communities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also led volunteers into action as part of the Big Help Out. Interfaith Scotland partnered with Trees for Life to plant trees in the World Interfaith Harmony Grove in the Scottish Highlands while the Archbishop of Wales Andrew John led a beach clean in Dinas Dinlle in North Wales. In South Belfast, Northern Ireland Interfaith Forum worked with local volunteers as well as those who have recently arrived in Belfast from Ukraine and Russia to completely rebuild the Windsor Community Garden.
Faith activists leading other Big Help Out projects included the following:
Sukhbir Singh, Founder of Feed My City (Sikh community charity), said:
“Feedmycity as part of the #The Big Help Out Coronation celebrations of our King Charles, have provided hundreds of hot meals to Faith organisations, Community groups, Homeless Shelters and street parties in Greater Manchester! We are proud of our inspirational, amazing volunteers who work so hard and joining in the festivities to celebrate the Coronation.”
Gurpreet Singh Anand, Chair of the Central Gurdwara (Khalsa Jatha) London (Sikh Temple), said:
“The Khalsa Jatha British Isles is delighted to be participating in The Big Help Out today, a campaign championing faith groups and volunteering to make a real difference in our communities. We prepared 150 hot meals for the homeless to be distributed by our partners SWAT.”
Zaki Cooper, who led the mobilisation of faith communities for the Big Help Out, said:
“The UK’s range of faith communities did amazing volunteering today as part of The Big Help Out. They donated and distributed food, collected old clothes as well as organised tree planting, litter picks and even a beach clean-up in Wales. Inspired by their religious obligations to do good and build a better society, they volunteered in very high numbers. They were also moved to be active in tribute to the King, who has been so passionate about cultivating strong relationships with all of Britain’s different faith communities. They helped to make the Big Help Out even bigger and better and to enhance community spirit. By focusing on what we have in common rather than what divides us, we are so much stronger as a nation.”
Across the nation, the volunteers at Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK (HSS UK) were enthusiastically participating in activities as part of the BIG HELP OUT. Nine HSS shakhas, 132 participants engaged in 11 different community projects. Clearing community gardens, planting flowers, serving teas, cleaning benches, clearing charity shop clutter, litter picking, visiting care homes, cooking and serving meals, and taking calls on helplines were just some of the activities that were well received with much gratitude and lovely words of gratitude by the elderly and the infirm, community groups, temples and charity shops.
The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK volunteering activities took place alongside 55000 The Big Help Out volunteering initiatives nationwide.
Dr Harsha Jani at HSS UK Outreach Team said, ‘ We love volunteering and really it comes naturally to us as Hindus. It was a privilege to participate in the Big Help Out and contribute positively to the welfare of so many.’