King’s Award for Voluntary Service award presented to Nishkam Healthcare Trust in official ceremony
The Lord Lieutenant, Derrick Anderson CBE, officially presented the King’s Award for Voluntary Service to colleagues at Nishkam Healthcare Trust in an official ceremony with over a hundred invited guests, on the evening of Thursday 30th April.
The Lord Lieutenant Derrick Anderson CBE, alongside with Cadet Warrant Officer Drew Deeming, presenting King’s Award to Bhai Sahib Bhai Mohinder SIngh Ahluwalia OBE KSG, Patron at Nishkam Healthcare Trust and Mrs Baldev Kour Ahluwalia
Presented to Bhai Sahib Prof Mohinder Singh OBE KSG, Patron at Nishkam Healthcare Trust, the award marks a culmination of over a decade of perseverance and determination by a huge team of volunteers to improve the health and wellbeing of the local and wider communities.
Since its launch in 2012, Nishkam Healthcare Trust has strived to provide a one-stop integrated health service for local residents. The Centre houses two healthy living pharmacies (with the second pharmacy located nearby), a volunteer-led dental service, a mental and emotional wellbeing service and a newly registered medical service. The impact of these services is incredibly significant in Handsworth, which is home to some of the worst health inequalities in the UK. The average healthy life expectancy for a male or female in this area is 51 years, and a third of children and half of older adults are living below the poverty line.
Nishkam is ideally placed to help tackle these challenges, and has been doing so since the 1970s. Part of the wider Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, which formed in 1974 with the construction of a Gurudwara – Sikh place of holy worship – on Soho Road, thousands of volunteers have committed endless hours of their time, as well as financial contribution, to help regenerate this area.
Most of the services at Nishkam Healthcare Centre are supported by a team of over 100 professional volunteers from across the UK, with over 20 doctors and consultants, and over 25 pharmacists. The Centre itself was built with community donations, and when coupled with the selfless volunteering, circa £6m has been invested, or saved as a cost to the NHS. Our volunteers are passionate about working hard to support each other, and to ensure no one is left behind.
“On behalf of the Nishkam Healthcare Trust, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to you all for joining us this evening as we humbly receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service. The award represents the highest honour given to voluntary organisations across the United Kingdom. We accept it with humility and deep appreciation, recognising that it reflects a collective spirit of selfless service – Nishkam Sewa. This recognition belongs not only to our organisation, but to the wider community we are privileged to serve.”
“Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha has served the community with dedication for over 50 years. As we look to the future, we reaffirm our commitment and allegiance to Handsworth for the next 250 years.”
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““The Queen’s Award [as it was formally known] was created back in 2002 by Her Majesty, and the first scheme was run in 2003. And her focus at the time was to recognise what she described as exceptional community impact of volunteers in organisations in the community…those unpaid, join what we hope will continue into the future to be that group of selflessly focused individuals who become active citizens in their community.””
“I ask the Board of the Trustees to accept the public recognition of the extraordinary work that they have done year in and year out, decade in and decade out, for the people of this area, without any hope of personal reward.” ”
