In the 10 years since being appointed an independent Crossbench Peer, Lord Bilimoria has gained a reputation of speaking passionately in the House of Lords Chamber on topics as diverse as entrepreneurship, higher education and, recently, Brexit. On the occasion of his 10th anniversary in the House of Lords, Lord Bilimoria chose to champion another matter that is close to his heart – philanthropy. And, on 5 th December, he held a reception in the Lord Speaker’s River Room to raise awareness about the amazing work of three charities that he supports: the Gurkha Welfare Trust, the Saalam Balaak Trust and the Cobra Foundation.
The event saw speakers discuss the role of their charities, how they got involved and the remarkable results that their work has achieved. A number of high profile MPs and Lords, as well as the Indian Law and Justice Minister, Dr Ashwani Kumar, were in attendance. As were representatives from the pinnacle of the British army, past and present, including the head of the British Army, General Sir Nick Carter, and the former head of the British Army, Field Marshal Sir John Chapple.
Speaking at the event, Piers Lawson detailed the incredible work that the Gurkha Welfare Trust do to ensure that Gurkha pensioners are cared for in their old age, which includes providing pensions, healthcare, and housing, as well as disaster relief – since the devastation of the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal, the Trust has worked tirelessly to provide supplies, medical aid, and shelter to those affected. Nick Thompson spoke about how he was first exposed to the Saalam Balaak Trust, when travelling through India, and noted the ability of the Trust to provide a safe and nourishing environment for street children in Delhi, in order to help them reach their full potential or, in the words of the charity’s director, Sanjoy Roy, “achieve their dreams”.
Patrick Shervington explained the way in which the Cobra Foundation has collaborated with partners to provide health, education and community support for young people in South Asia, in particular noting its partnership with Belu water, which has success raises funds for Water Aid. He recounted how Lord Bilimoria’s father, Lt Gen Faridoon Bilimoria, became the founding President of the Trust before tragically passing away on the very day that the Trust was recognised by the Charity Commission, and praised the contribution of the current President Field Marshal Sir John Chapple.
When concluding, Lord Bilimoria said: “This year marks ten years since my introduction to the House of Lords, where we are privileged to be able to host events for charities, something which I have done regularly over the years. To mark a decade in Parliament, I could think of nothing better than to highlight the work of three charities that I am associated with: the Gurkha Welfare Trust, the Saalam Balaak Trust and the Cobra Foundation, which has supported 92 charities since its inception.”
