Nishkam Healthcare Trust and Nishkam Civic Association were delighted to host a symposium on Start of Life Care on Wednesday 13^th and Thursday 14^th of March 2024. A key aim of the symposium, alongside exploring faith-inspired teachings for start of life care and furthering neighbourhood integration, was to discuss findings from Birmingham and Solihull (BSoL) ICB-funded Nishkam Start of Life Care project, which launched in July 2023, and has run four successful cohorts.

The Symposium ran over two days, and included interactive panel discussions featuring representatives from BSol ICB, hospital doctors and consultants and community organisations such as Flourish, Bethel Health and Healing Network and Perry Barr NNS, exploring how to better navigate local challenges around start of life care, and looking ahead to future ways of linking services to provide better pre-natal care for mothers, and support for fathers.

Dr Manvir Kaur Kalirai, Chair of Nishkam Healthcare Trust, spoke about the life-long impact of the first 1001 days (from conception to the age of 2 years) a child’s life has on them. She informed that infant mortality is the leading cause of preventable death in West Birmingham, and it is also an indicator of the general health of the population, as well as of standards of clinical care. Thus to give children the best start in life we must address health inequalities as well as optimising clinical care.

Following Dr Manvir Kaur’s speech, a panel of distinguished speakers from various faiths each had their turn to share the perspectives of their faith on start of life care and its importance. Dr Gopinder Kaur, who represented the Sikh faith, spoke about how babies serve as a powerful reminder to us of the incredible potential we all possess. The panel also included Dr Bilqees Khwaja, Islamic faith, Dr Manisha Patel, Hindu faith, Reverend Cassius Francis, Christian Faith, and Dr Andrew Goldstein, Jewish faith. Their diverse perspectives added to the depth of our discussions, allowing attendees to understand the views of different faiths so that better care can be provided for all. Although the speakers shared their differing perspectives about when life begins, they all mentioned the blessing that is the beginning of life and the integral role values play in raising a child.

Speakers from Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust spoke about the critical need for pre-natal mental health support and listed some of the existing referral pathways open to women to seek support. Presently this service is under-utilised in West Birmingham, and the mental health team are keen to work with communities and support women in this pivotal time in their lives.

Dr Satish Rao, Medical Director for Innovation and Transformation, BSol ICB, expressed the need to reimagine the healthcare system to accommodate holistic approaches and wraparound support. Dr Rao also touched on newfound perspectives of working with faith organisations as a result of the success of the Nishkam Start of Life Care project.

Handsworth is home to a super-diverse community, but also sadly has reported some of the more unequal health statistics compared to the rest of Birmingham. There are typically very poor outcomes for mothers and children including high levels of infant mortality, due to low levels of health literacy.

These health inequalities were evident in the Nishkam Start of Life Care project’s cohorts, 369 referrals were carried out for the 69 women who participated in the project, an average of five per participant – the most common referrals being energy redress, essential items for children, food and milk vouchers and maternity grants.

The Nishkam Start of Life Care project aims to tackle these inequalities from the ground-up with a vision to work together to nurture good healthy human beings and give every child the best start to life; educating and empowering future parents. The project’s universal aims have attracted as much support and involvement, with nearly 1300 volunteers hours and 15 health professionals. The healthcare professionals volunteered their space time to deliver the antenatal session, saving the NHS £300 of professional fees.

The impact of the project is clear from the feedback – participants gave high praise for the programme, and there was a 64% average improvement of knowledge across the topics from pregnancy, delivery and post-natal care. A fourth cohort, despite not being in the initial programme’s delivery plan, was run due to high demand. Most notably, in their evaluations, participants expressed a need for further workshops focussing on post-natal core.

On the Symposium, Ajit Singh, Director of the Nishkam Civic Centre, said: “The SOLC pilot project is an excellent example of integrated care, bringing together healthcare, community and faith partners to deliver a programme of seamless antenatal and wraparound support addressing the wider determinants of wellbeing in a culturally appropriate and safe space, infused with an abundance of care and compassion. This project strongly aligns with our approach towards prevention and early help to provide babies with the best start of life.”

Ranjit Sondhi, Trustee of Nishkam Healthcare Trust and Non-Executive Director of the Black Country Integrated Board added: “We now live in a society where we know the cost of everything and the value of nothing. The Nishkam Start of Life Care Pilot Project is an excellent example of integrated care in the neighbourhood, which harnesses the goodwill of communities and health professionals to holistically address the needs of expectant mothers”.

ENDS

For media inquiries, please contact: info@ncauk.org

Media Contact Information: Ajit Singh 0121 515 4229

Notes to Editors

About Nishkam Civic Association:

The Nishkam Civic Centre (NCA) is a leading provider of values-led education and work-based education in Birmingham. NCA is committed to supporting local communities, employers, and learners, ensuring they receive the highest quality education and apprenticeship programs. NCA’s dedicated team is driven by a shared vision of excellence, aiming to become an “Outstanding” provider in the City. For more information, please visit our website.

About Nishkam Healthcare Trust:

The Nishkam Healthcare Trust is a part of the five centres of excellence which have been established to transform lives and empower people through faith-based values and ethos. Here, you will encounter highly qualified individuals who are dedicated to Nishkam values, providing a single facility multidisciplinary community healthcare centre, which focuses equally on both the patient’s healthcare experience (values-based care) and on the delivery of high-quality care (clinical excellence).

Nishkam Civic Association (NCA) was delighted to host members of the United Religions Initiative (URI) from around the world, local stakeholders and members of the local interfaith community to discuss the topic of ‘Religiously Motivated Hate Crime’ and how we can work together to eradicate violence in all its forms.

Delegates from URI including Preeta Bansal, Global Chair of the URI and Jerry White, Executive Director of the URI along with others from URI Europe, came to Britain for this event at the invitation of URI UK. NCA was among the select places chosen, to address themes such as preventing violence in all its forms and the fragility of interfaith work.

The Conference started with refreshments, an opportunity to network and explore the Value’s Revolution Exhibition. The programme then moved to the Conference Hall where guests enjoyed Kirtan (Singing of Sikh Scriptures) to bless the conference and create a special ambiance for the rest of the night.

The conference held impactful speeches from several remarkable guests doing fantastic work in their fields.: The first speaker was Superintendent Jennifer Pearson, who set the scene for Birmingham as she listed some powerful statistics. Superintendent Pearson shared that Birmingham is 3rd in religiously motivated hate crime and 1st in racially motivated hate across the nation. She further stressed the importance of faith within policing and the profound role faith collaboration plays in reducing religiously motivated hate crimes.

 Jerry White, Nobel Peace Prize Winner for his work to ban landmines and Executive Director of the URI  spoke about the rise of religiously motivated violence, which is the fastest-growing form of violence globally. He went on to talk about how violence is a behaviour that is contagious and spreads, creating a culture of violence and how it is our responsibility to change the culture, going on to speak about the training URI provides to interrupt local violence.

The third speaker, Global Chair of the URI, Preeta Bansal, spoke about a core tenet of the URI’s work in achieving peace and reducing violence – Cooperation Circles (CCs). Preeta conveyed that peace-making is not accomplished alone and how CCs are the key to peace, which form robust interfaith relationships to reduce violence and create a culture of peace, justice and healing. 

Adding to Preeta’s message of collaboration as a foundation for reducing violence was Duncan Wielzen, URI Europe Chairperson. Duncan spoke about inspiring others to join interfaith groups and how the work of CCs can inspire others to form their own groups and strive to make change in their local area.

Josef Boehle, Director of the Peace Charter for Forgiveness and Reconciliation shared the 13 year journey of the Peace Charter and its presentation to / endorsement by many prominent figures, such as His Holiness Pope Francis and the Prime Minister of Kenya to name just a few. Additionally, Josef spoke about how the charter looks at the intersection between forgiveness and peace.

The penultimate speaker  Professor Jagbir Jhutti-Johal,  spoke about the role of women in achieving peace and how they bring a specific set of skills and values, citing a research study which concludes that when women are involved in peace negotiations or peace building, success is 20% more likely.

The keynote speaker was Patron of Nishkam Organisations and URI UK, Bhai Sahib, Professor Mohinder Singh Ahluwalia OBE KSG. Bhai Sahib Ji articulated the juxtaposition of religion and violence as religion is peaceful. Continuing to provide an insight into the origin of violence and how vices and external forces which partially form the mind can lead to violence and vengeful retaliation, creating a cycle of escalating violence.

The conference gave an insight into how we can continue to collaborate with partners and strategize to reduce religiously motivated violence and create change in our communities by overcoming the barriers that prevent the formation of peace within communities.

In the spirit of Sikh hospitality, tradition and service, the evening concluded with everyone partaking in Guru Ka Langar (Blessed meal).

Preeta Bansal shared: “We, the global leadership of the United Religions Initiative, were heartened to feel and see the remarkable work of our interfaith cooperation circles in the United Kingdom. The Nishkam Centre in Handsworth is truly leading an interfaith revolution of values — much like Birmingham led the industrial revolution more than a century ago. The Centre’s tangible commitment to selfless service in the community — manifested in concrete initiatives in the health, welfare, environmental, and education sectors — combined with its active peace making carried out in cooperation with multiple faith communities and the public sector, is truly inspiring. The Nishkam Centre is a model of what URI seeks to support and promote globally — a commitment to daily, enduring interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence, and to promote peace, justice, and healing for the earth and all living beings. We were pleased to be part of the rich community conversation hosted at the Nishkam Centre, which involved community activists, city leaders, academics, and faith leaders.”

ENDS

The NCA community remains committed to its core values and to providing the best possible education and support to learners and employers, setting its sights on reaching new heights of excellence in the near future.

For media inquiries, please contact: info@ncauk.org

Media Contact Information: Ajit Singh 0121 515 4229

Notes to Editors

About Nishkam Civic Association:

The Nishkam Civic Association (NCA), fondly known as the Nishkam Centre, is a unique organisation charged with the task of developing a dynamic Sikh faith inspired civic agenda, located on Soho Road, Birmingham. It is one of the key Centres for Excellence founded by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, a Sikh faith-based organisation dedicated to Nishkam Sewa (active, selfless volunteering) to serve the common good.

www.ncauk.org

About United Religions Initiative (URI)

URI, a movement of everyday people making positive change in local communities, is a strong, global grassroots network of interfaith groups bridging differences and finding solutions to issues that affect communities and the world. It is comprised of over 1,100 member groups, called Cooperation Circles, in 112 countries. URI is a non-governmental organisation with consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

https://www.uri.org

Baroness Scott of Bybrook, OBE, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Housing and Faith, embarked on a significant visit to a Sikh Gurudwara and the Nishkam Campus on February 1, 2024. The visit aimed to deepen her understanding of Sikhism and to explore the impactful work carried out by Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ), MSS, Nishkam Schools, Nishkam Healthcare Trust, and Nishkam Civic Association.

Baroness Scott, a distinguished figure in UK politics, played a pivotal role in steering key government Bills during the 2022-23 Parliamentary session, including the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, and the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. As the Government spokesperson on several successful Private Members’ Bills, she has shown a commitment to legislative initiatives that promote societal well-being.

Expressing a specific interest in Sikh culture and community service, Baroness Scott commenced her visit at the Gurudwara, where she paid obeisance to Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Sikh holy scripture. The spiritual leader of GNNSJ and founder of the Nishkam group of charities, Bhai Sahib Professor Mohinder Singh, hosted the Baroness during her tour of the Nishkam Campus.

The visit included stops at MSS (Community Cooperative); the Pharmacy and Healthcare Centre (including the new Elderly Support Apartments); and the Nishkam Primary School. Baroness Scott engaged with the teams behind these initiatives, gaining valuable insights into their contributions to regeneration, healthcare services, community engagement and education.

The visit culminated at the Nishkam Civic Association, where Baroness Scott had the opportunity to delve into the organisation’s work in Handsworth, other regions of England, Kenya, and India. Discussions covered a range of topics, from community development to global outreach, the Peace Charter for Forgiveness and Reconciliation, showcasing the extensive impact of the Nishkam group’s charitable endeavours.

Baroness Scott commended the commitment of the Nishkam group in fostering community well-being and expressed her gratitude for the warm reception during the visit. This experience is expected to further inform her role in advocating for faith-based initiatives and social housing in the UK.

Ends

About Baroness Scott of Bybrook, OBE:

Baroness Scott of Bybrook, OBE, currently serves as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Housing and Faith. With a notable career in politics, she has been at the forefront of crucial legislative initiatives, demonstrating a commitment to social welfare and community development.

About Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ) and Nishkam Group of Charities:

Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ) is a prominent Sikh organization dedicated to selfless service and community development. The Nishkam Group of Charities encompasses various initiatives, including MSS, educational institutions, healthcare trusts, and civic associations, working towards fostering well-being in local and global communities.

The Sikh community in the West Midlands bids farewell to an extraordinary luminary, Mrs. Balvir Kaur Dhillon, whose passing has cast a solemn hue over the realms of business, community service, and education. As the founder and director of Golden Ethics, Mrs. Dhillon’s life was an exemplar of dedication, compassion, and leadership.

Mrs. Dhillon’s journey as a trailblazer in business development, leadership, and employability solutions began with the inception of Golden Ethics. Her consultancy firm was not just a business venture; it was a manifestation of her unwavering commitment to fostering innovative strategies and nurturing talent across hierarchies. Through spiritually sensitive training, coaching, and mentoring, she transcended conventional barriers, empowering individuals at every rung of the professional ladder to realise their fullest potential.

Yet, her impact extended far beyond the boardrooms and corporate landscapes. Mrs. Dhillon’s heartbeat for community development, reflected in her tireless efforts to fuel grassroots initiatives focused on capacity building, organisational development, and the sustainability of communities. Her tenure as a longstanding trustee on the Nishkam Civic Association (NCA) Board was marked by unwavering dedication and a relentless pursuit of service.

Bhai Sahib Professor Mohinder Singh, Chairman of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ), extended heartfelt condolences, acknowledging Mrs. Dhillon’s selfless and pivotal role in advancing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) within local and regional communities. Prof. Upkar Singh Pardesi, Chairman of NCA Board reflecting on their association since the early 1990s, illuminated her influential career in further and higher education. He emphasised her instrumental role in paving avenues for women to emerge as leaders and entrepreneurs in a landscape historically skewed against them.

Mrs. Dhillon’s multi-faceted engagements as a Board Member/Director, Executive Coach, Associate Consultant, and TV presenter on healthcare issues in the Sikh community in the UK reflected her expansive influence and dedication to various causes.

The trustees of Nishkam Centre and Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha conveyed their deep condolences and expressed profound gratitude to Mrs. Dhillon’s family for her unwavering commitment to selflessly serving the communities in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

Mrs. Balvir Kaur Dhillon’s legacy transcends mere words. Her life, a testament to unwavering dedication and passionate pursuit of social justice and progress, has left an indelible mark on the fabric of our communities. She will forever be remembered as an advocate, and a catalyst for change.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Mrs Dhillon’s Family, Friends and Sangat (Congregation).

The Nishkam Civic Association (NCA) is thrilled to announce that its Apprenticeships provision has been awarded an overall “Good” rating by Ofsted in its first full inspection conducted in September. This remarkable achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and vision of all those involved in the leadership, governance, development, delivery, and management of NCA’s values-led provision for local communities.

NCA, which initiated its Apprenticeships provision in May 2021, is proud to have received a “Good” rating across all inspection categories. The NCA Board of Trustees and the senior management team extend their heartfelt gratitude to every member of the apprenticeships team, employers, learners, tutors, and assessors for their unwavering commitment and passion in achieving this outstanding outcome.

Inspectors commended NCA’s leadership, stating, “Leaders have a clear strategic intent. They have carefully selected apprenticeships to meet employers’ needs and the core values of NCA. They focus their work on people in the local community who are furthest away from the job market to support progression into work.”

The Founder and Life President of NCA, Bhai Sahib (Dr) Bhai Mohinder Singh Ahluwalia OBE KSG,welcomed the positive report and said: “In 2019, A small group of dedicated and selfless volunteers established a working group to expand and diversify our education and training provision to include values-led apprenticeships. Designed in partnership with employers and external stakeholders, this provision is important to us strategically in supporting the skills and training needs of key employers and the locality. I am indebted to everyone at NCA for embarking on a challenging journey and on achieving the Ofsted judgement and a major milestone.”

Prof. Upkar Singh Pardesi, Chairman of NCA Board of Trustees, expressed his delight at the inspection results, saying, “We are absolutely delighted that in our recent first full Ofsted inspection over three days, we have been judged to be good overall. This excellent outcome is testament to the expertise of our staff and the quality of education, experience, and support we provide to learners from all communities in Birmingham. I extend my congratulations to all our stakeholders and the team that worked so very hard under the direction and leadership of Sanjeev Ohri, Director of Education, Training, and Apprenticeships.”

Ajit Singh, NCA Centre Director said: “We know that we must continue to make improvements to all our systems, processes, curriculum, learner support, and employer engagement. The Board, working with key stakeholders, is in the process of developing a medium-term strategic plan for the apprenticeships provision with the aim of making significant investments. Our shared vision is to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted Judgement in the near future and for us to become a highly successful and reputable provider of values-led education and work-based education in the city.”

The NCA community remains committed to its core values and to providing the best possible education and support to learners and employers, setting its sights on reaching new heights of excellence in the near future.

ENDS

The NCA community remains committed to its core values and to providing the best possible education and support to learners and employers, setting its sights on reaching new heights of excellence in the near future.

For media inquiries, please contact: info@ncauk.org

Media Contact Information: Ajit Singh 0121 515 4229

Notes to Editors

About Nishkam Civic Association:

The Nishkam Civic Centre (NCA) is a leading provider of values-led education and work-based education in Birmingham. NCA is committed to supporting local communities, employers, and learners, ensuring they receive the highest quality education and apprenticeship programs. NCA’s dedicated team is driven by a shared vision of excellence, aiming to become an “Outstanding” provider in the City. For more information, please visit our website.

About NCA Apprenticeships:

The Nishkam Apprenticeship programme delivers values-led qualifications ranging from GCSE to degree level. We do this to support organisations & students to thrive by co-designing programmes to meet current and future needs that will uplift individuals, communities and organisations. We hope by providing education, training and apprenticeships we can unlock the potential of individuals to help them secure well-paying and fulfilling jobs that in turn will help them make a positive contribution to society.

Link to OFSTED REPORT – https://tinyurl.com/NCA-Ofsted-Report

Birmingham, UK – Nishkam Organisations is thrilled to announce a historic Handsworth event- the Handsworth Community Cohesion Day on May 7th, 2023. Join residents, community members and leaders, in celebrating the Coronation of His Majesty The King while addressing inequalities and promoting peace and cohesion across the neighbourhood.

The Handsworth Community Cohesion Day is a free event, open to all and will take place on Soho Road, at the Handsworth Job Centre Car Park (Temple Row House), Nishkam Health Centre Car Park, and St Michael’s School (Piers Road) playground from 10 am to 6 pm. Get ready for a day packed with fun activities, including children’s sports and games, art projects with HeARTivism, exhibitions, free health checks, and wellbeing talks. Plus, enjoy performances and presentations, model steam engine rides, a petting zoo, and delicious vegetarian food, drinks, and snacks all day long.

Birmingham City Council Leader Ian Ward and Lord Lieutenant Sir John Crabtree are among the VIP guests who will join us at the Coronation Big Lunch and a special presentation from 1 pm to 3 pm. Don’t miss this opportunity to combat social isolation and loneliness by participating in The Big Lunch initiative, created by the charity Eden Project Communities in 2009.

But that’s not all – the event will also be seeing the launch of ‘The Big Help Out’, where community volunteers can join Nishkam SWAT, a charitable organization that unites and transforms financially disadvantaged communities, in serving hot food and drinks to the homeless communities in Birmingham City Centre.

“We are excited to host the Handsworth Community Cohesion Day” said Ajit Singh, a spokesperson for Nishkam Organisations. “We hope this event will bring people from all walks of life together to celebrate our community’s diversity and work towards creating a more cohesive and peaceful community. Join us and let’s embrace peace through unity.”

We look forward to welcoming the community at the Handsworth Community Cohesion Day on May 7, 2023. For more information on the event and Nishkam Organisations, please visit www.ncauk.org.

ENDS

Press Enquiries:

Name: Ajit Ubhi

Email: info@ncauk.org

Phone: 0121 515 4229

Notes for Editors:

1. Nishkam Organisations is a UK-based charity with a mission to promote peace, selfless service, and positive action. Nishkam Organisations is thrilled to host the Handsworth Community Cohesion Day in collaboration with key stakeholders, partners, and the people of Handsworth.
2. Nishkam SWAT is a charitable organisation based in West London and Midlands that works to unite and transform financially disadvantaged communities by focusing on projects that make a difference to people’s lives in the short term and improve their prospects in the long term. As part of the Handsworth Community Cohesion Day, Nishkam SWAT will be serving hot food and drinks to the homeless communities in Birmingham City Centre as part of The Big Help Out initiative.
3. HeARTivism is an art-based initiative that promotes community engagement and social change through creative expression. At the Handsworth Community Cohesion Day, HeARTivism will offer art projects for children and adults to participate in, with the aim of fostering a sense of unity and encouraging people to work together towards a common goal.
4. Eden Project Communities is a UK-based charity that aims to create a network of community-minded people and organizations across the country. The charity was founded in 2009 and was responsible for creating the Big Lunch initiative in 2009 to encourage communities to come together and share a meal with their neighbours once a year. The aim of the Big Lunch is to help combat social isolation and loneliness, and to build stronger, more resilient communities. The initiative has since grown to become one of the UK’s largest annual get-togethers, with millions of people taking part each year.

The leadership of the Nishkam Group had a vision, a dream, a passion to make health more equitable in a deprived inner-city area of Birmingham.  So, 10 years ago the Nishkam Healthcare Trust (NHT), based on Soho Road, Birmingham was launched. The NHT’s proposition is unique – it was not vying to compete with the NHS, but to compassionately complement it and enable services to be more accessible to so many disenfranchised residents who feel out of touch. In line with its values, to mark the momentous occasion of being ONE DECADE old, celebrations will be held on Wednesday 18^th January for all, which will include free health checks and the opportunity to speak to dentists, GPs and pharmacists and integrative counsellors about healthy living, and an array of refreshments.

Since its launch in 2013, Nishkam Healthcare Trust has made great strides by innovatively improving the health and wellbeing of its local population in Handsworth, which is in top 1.6% most deprived neighbourhoods in the country. The NHT, which forms part of the Nishkam Group of Organisations, was launched with the ethos of faith-inspired, values-led care embedded in clinical practice, and houses a dental service, pharmacy and mental and emotional wellbeing service for the local community, in order to deliver holistic person-centred care.

Collaboration is key to achieving better equality and making sure no one is left out. Nishkam Healthcare Trust have spent the last decade partnering with national and local healthcare organisations and charities to ensure joined-up thinking. An example of this is the partnership with Modality & Peoples Health Partnership on an innovative project to reduce cardiovascular risk as well to address other social determinants of health. A Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Service offering blood pressure checks and blood glucose testing takes place at Nishkam Pharmacy on a daily basis, and this includes weekly group consultations run by GPs volunteering to serve the local population.

Nishkam Healthcare Trust was launched to address the communication and cultural gap between clinical practitioners and patients, and the motto underlining the services has been ‘Caring with compassion, Helping with humility and Listening with love’. This principle has proved immensely successful with a busy community pharmacy, and a pay-what-you-can-afford dental service designed to appeal to the goodness in humanity and where clinical staff work on a volunteer basis, dedicating their time and expertise to provide high quality expert dental care for our patients. Between January 2022 and June 2022, Nishkam Mental and Emotional Wellbeing Service delivered 189 free sessions of counselling to nearly 40 service users, demonstrating the unique ways in which faith-based organisations can deliver on responsibilities in their local communities.

Dr Manvir Kaur Hayer, Renal Consultant and Chair of Nishkam Healthcare Trust, said, “This is a major landmark for the Nishkam Healthcare team and I am proud to say, they are doing an amazing job. The team goes above and beyond to help improve health outcomes and assist other partners to address deep-rooted health inequalities. The model created is ambitious, innovative and, right now, very much needed. We need greater access into communities, the whole ethos of the Integrated Care System is to do what is being modelled right here in Birmingham – we are trail-blazing as always. I wish all of the Nishkam Healthcare team every success for the coming decades.” On their 10^th anniversary celebration event, Nishkam Healthcare Trust are sending an open invitation to all –  no RSVPs are required, just turn up and see what is being done. We look forward to seeing you there.

A chilled food manufacturer based in Southall has donated a van to a local charity to help with its distribution of food to those in need.

Noon Products Ltd started supporting NishkamSWAT’s community support outreach programme at the time of the Grenfell fire. Noon provided the charity with microwavable ready meals for people while they were waiting to be re-homed.

The relationship between the company and NishkamSWAT has gone from strength to strength and in early 2020, a new initiative started to serve freshly cooked hot food by the Noon chefs.

In 2020, homelessness surpassed 10,000 in London with a 47% increase of 16-to-25-year old’s due to lockdown restrictions. The disappearance of commuters meant that no one was offering money at a time when most soup kitchens were closed and food banks were struggling to keep up with the demand. It was left to a few small groups of volunteers to provide thousands of meals a week through such a difficult year.

Noon wanted to make an increased commitment to the partnership and decided to donate the co-branded chilled van to NishkamSWAT to help even further with the distribution of food. The van was formally handed over at Noon Products Ltd, Windmill Lane on 24 November. Both parties are looking forward to developing their relationship and building an even stronger community support network.

Randeep S Lall, CEO of NishkamSWAT said, ‘We are so grateful to the amazing team at Noon, they have been supporting us for many years and always step up when the homeless community is in need as well as children and families in poverty, no questions asked. During the first COVID-19 lockdown, Noon served tens of thousands of meals to NHS Staff Members and Free School Meals to children as well as the homeless and elderly. Sumit and his team go above and beyond their call of duty. We feel so fortunate to have such a prestigious company on board as a Charity Partner.’