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Good Morning.

I watched a beautiful news story of two brothers - Ronnie, 10, and seven-year-old Reggie, who have spent the coronavirus lockdown making cushions for NHS workers and supermarket staff because as they said ‘they will be tired’. What is so special about this story is that Reggie, who has cerebral palsy, has also been able to sew some cushions with his brother’s help.

Volunteers make an enormous contribution to the well-being and quality of life in our communities and they all deserve to be thanked and celebrated for their achievements. This week is Volunteers’ Week, which this year also coincides with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service both of which have not received the public attention they deserve. 230 volunteer groups received the award, and in that list two Sikh Gurdwaras were recognised for the selfless service they undertake to make a difference in their communities. Gurdwaras up and down the UK have traditionally been engaged in feeding the homeless by setting up food stations in city centres.

The Sikh Gurus made the act of charitable works and selfless service, called sewa, one of the central tenets of the Sikh religion and is essential for achieving ultimate union with God. Sikhs engage in three forms of sewa: that which is rendered through one’s body, that which is rendered through one’s mind, and finally that which is rendered through giving of one’s material wealth. While all three forms of seva are considered equally important, the Sikh Gurus stressed that all seva should be a labour of love performed without desire, without intention, and with humility.

During this pandemic gurdwaras, like other places of worship are closed to their congregations. However, this has not stopped the Sikh volunteers. They have repurposed their gurdwaras to allow them to prepare meals not only for the poor and homeless, but also frontline key workers in hospitals and care homes and those who are ‘shielded and isolated’.

The work of ALL volunteers during the pandemic has never been so more important. The volunteers have made a huge difference to the everyday lives of so many people, and shows how society is dependent on these unsung heroes. Their acts of kindness have touched the hearts of many, and has broken down barriers between communities to reveal our fragile, but common humanity. As the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh said ‘recognize the entire human race as one.’

I would like to say thank you to the Army of Volunteers and take a moment to pause and reflect on their contribution and recognise, whomever they may be, they are the glue that holds our society together.

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