The King and Queen Consort hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday 3 May, attended by members of the community. The King and Queen have been out and about at the Westminster Abbey for rehearsals. They also surprised fans with a surprise walk about outside Buckingham Palace with William and Kate.
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.
In a previous interview with Asian Voice, Prashant Kunwar said, “It was a great experience to be invited to the coronation garden party. It was with huge honour and pleasure to be part of the regal event. I was fortunate to have an audience with King Charles III and Queen consort Camilla. I congratulated the King and wished for a glorious reign. I also reminded the king that 70 years ago when the Queen was coronated that was when Mt Everest was ascended and it’s a coincidence that while we are celebrating King Charles III's coronation and platinum jubilee of Mt Everest 70 years after. The Mt Everest and Gurkhas hold an important space in the royal family and larger British people. The UK and Nepal hold a special relationship which dates back more than 200 years. The event was blessed with good weather and a fantastic atmosphere, and it was great to blend with so many distinguished guests from all walks of life.”
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.
