Multi Faith Events In Hayes

Hayes has a long history of over a century as a multi cultural community. Each group of people who have come to settle in Hayes over the last 100 years has brought its own religion and beliefs from the Welsh Chapel goers to the Irish Catholics, Panjabi Sikhs, Indian Hindus and African and Pakistani Muslems.

On Sunday I attended a range of events which reflected this multi faith community.

In the morning I visited Guru Nanak Sikh School in Hayes to join pupils and parents in their celebration of the anniversary of Guru Nanak Ji, one of Gurus who the founded the Sikh religion. The school has become extremely successful both because of its high educational standards and also because of its engagement and integration with other local schools and the wider community. I gave a number of presentations to people who had helped the school and pupils, including representatives from IBM who offer advice and assistance to pupils on careers and further education opportunities. I interviewed Mr Sandhu the school’s greatly respected headteacher. 

I then went to Barnhill Community Centre where the local Ahmadya Muslem Association was hosting on its founder’s day a seminar on the promotion of peace and harmony in society. The seminar included speakers from the Hindu community, from a Sikh Gurwara, the local Police, a local Christian church and from the Ahmadya society. The seminar was really interesting as the different speakers explained their own religion’s history and view of the world. In my speech I remarked upon the fact that from each of the presentations it was clear that the common core of their beliefs was the need to respect one another’s views.

In the evening I celebrated with some old friends from the local Sikh community the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the first Sikh Gurdwara in Britain, which was in Shepherds Bush but has relocated to a new building in Holland Park. The new building is beautiful and we were joined at the Gurdwara by the local councillor and my friend Virendra Sharma, now the MP for Southall. Once again the theme was how people from all beliefs and none can live together in harmony but this needs us to work together.

The one event I missed was the clean up of the Harmondsworth Barn grounds, which Friends of the Barn undertook on Sunday lunchtime. I was too late to get there. The brave souls who are members of the Friends braved the wet and cold and did a great job tidying up the area. Apologies for not getting there. The Friends Group was set up at a meeting I convened when the barn was under threat. Members of the Friends work really hard to preserve and look after this beautiful local building, which is such an important part of our local heritage. They have told me that I shouldn’t think that I can skive off doing my bit so easily and so they threatened to save a part of the grounds for me to tidy up!!!

submitted by John on 25 Nov 2008 at 08:29