Sikh community to hold a minute's silence and free kitchen for Manchester terror victims

Members of the Sikh Society hold their first free food kitchen for the homeless and needy at Preston Flag Market. L-r Robert Pavionc, Laura Kay and Danny Pearson. Picture by Paul Heyes, Sunday February 26, 2017.

The Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Langar will be held underneath the fish market canopy in Preston city centre as well as remembering those killed at Manchester Arena.

After the free kitchen proved so popular, organisers decided to run it on the last Sunday of every month.

And co-ordinator Gurnam Singh says anyone is welcome to the event and to join them in paying tribute to the 22 people killed by a suicide bomber on Monday night.

Members of the Sikh Society hold their first free food kitchen for the homeless and needy at Preston Flag Market. Sandeep Kaur help out at the kitchen. Picture by Paul Heyes, Sunday February 26, 2017.

“The whole Sikh community is disgusted by Monday’s events as is the whole world.

“It’s in our culture to help if we can and that’s why we’re holding Sunday’s event.

“We want to remember to the victims and we want to everything we can to help.”

The kitchen is being held this Sunday from 4pm until 5.30pm with the minute’s silence at 4pm.

Members of the Sikh Society hold their first free food kitchen for the homeless and needy at Preston Flag Market. Picture by Paul Heyes, Sunday February 26, 2017.

Guru Nanak was the first Sikh guru and believed that no-one in the world should go hungry.

In his honour Sikhs now run free kitchens handing out food to all regardless of religion.

Preston Sikh Siva Society started providing the free vegetarian meals earlier this year and has now agreed to hold a monthly kitchen.

After this event they will take place on: Sunday, June 25; Sunday, July 30; Sunday, August 27; Sunday, September 24; Sunday, October 29; Sunday, November 26; Sunday, December 31.

The Preston Sikh Siva Society believes the free kitchens initiative makes a stronger community “by fighting hunger together”.

Gurnam said: “Initially we launched it to get a feel for how it would be received. We would love to have it once a week, but we have gone for once a month for the rest of the year.”

The Sikh tradition of free food for the hungry and needy dates back to the 15th century. Sikh community volunteers prepare all the food and dish it up on the afternoon of the event. Anyone who would like to volunteer is asked to call Gurumukh Singh on 07816 291294 or Gurnam Singh on 07801 843024.