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2021-07-31-accounts

GURU RL&VllDLkSg DpJAw• COMMUNITY CENTRE CEhiv? Annual Report 2021

ANNUAL REPORT 2021

CONTENTS

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|||| |---|---|---| ||President’s Foreword|Page 3| ||Secretary’s Report|Page 4 - 5| ||Executive Committee|Page 6| ||Mission Statement & Aims of SGRS|Page 7| ||Trustees|Page 8| ||Highlights & Re-opening 2021|Page 9-10| ||ESOL Classes & Website|Page 11| ||Auditor’s Report|Page 12| ||Accounts|Page 13-14| ||Acknowledgements|Page 15| ||Contact details|Page 16|

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PRESIDENT’S FOREWORD

MR. JASWINDER KUMAR

Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha & Community Centre Bedford is a multicultural organisation, serving everyone regardless of race, colour, creed, gender, or ability.

The Centre is named after ‘Sat Guru Ravidass Maharaj Ji , a great teacher and a visionary of the 15[th ] century who was born in India and spent all his life promoting justice, fairness and equality and the universal fact that there is only one God and we are all His creation. His teachings lead us towards being decent human beings and law-abiding inhabitants of this earth.

The Organisation was established in the early 1970’s has served the community extensively with funds raised from the Ravidassia Community of Bedford.

The Executive Committee’s immediate priority was to continue with the safety procedures were kept in place post lockdown and follow government guidelines.

On behalf of SGRScc Bedford Das would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate all Seva Dars, trustees, donors and contributors for the selfless service and commitment during the second pandemic lockdown at Sri Guru Ravidass Bhawan & Community Centre, Bedford.

Das is happy to announce that the Seva to deliver meals to the front line key workers in the public services and the needy in vulnerable circumstances during the unprecedented pandemic (Covid-19) has brought recognition to our organisation and its work.

All work for the new build was temporarily postponed. The Guru Ghar Seva Dars will continue to serve the Communities needs and move forward with the progress made on the application for the proposed build as soon as practical and clear signs of safety and no further lockdowns

With full support of the Trustees and Ravidassia Community the Management Committee will aspire to take this organisation to more modern levels in it’s future outlook & conduct, keeping within the teachings and guidance of Sat Guru Ravidass Maharaj Ji.

Jai Gurdev Ji

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GENERAL SECRETARY’S OVERVIEW

MR. PRATHVI RAJ RANDHAWA

END OF TERM AND ANNUAL REPORT PRESENTED AT THE PUBLIC MEETING: 14/11/2021

JAI GURDEV JI

Das would like to thank everyone for attending today’s meeting during these unprecedented times and would like to take this opportunity at this Public Meeting to present to you our annual report of the progress made since the last virtual (zoom ) meeting and report of 2020

You have all received a comprehensive end of term financial report from our Guru Ghar Treasurer and Auditors for the period, 1/8/2020– 31/7/2021.

Today’s report covers the financial accounting period 1/8/2020 – 31/7/2021 and summary continued from the last report up to March 2021 as we have not had the usual opportunity to present to the trustees & the public (sangat) during the pandemic lockdowns.

Das would like to apologise to all members who were not able to get access to the last remote public meeting.

Das is proud to inform the Sangat that by the end of 2020 SGRScc Bedford was nominated for the Queens Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) 2021; unfortunately we were unsuccessful in the final qualifying stage. However the good work and effort did not go unrecognised as Mrs Rani Kaur was awarded The British Empire Medal (BEM) by Her Majesty The Queen.

The Covid-19 government lockdowns and guidelines have meant that our usual process, procedures and venue impacted the progress and services. The Annual Birth Anniversary celebrations of Sat Guru Ravidass Maharaj Ji with the Nagar Kirtan

With the lockdown showing signs of strain on the public services, private sector and communities the government on 19 July 2021 removed most of the legal restrictions, allowing remaining businesses and places of worship to reopen and enabling people to make informed decisions about how to manage the risk to themselves and others.

Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha Bedford produced a risk assessment, deep cleaned together with a 8 step plan to re-opening the Gurughar (temple) and continued with the Track & Trace, wearing mask and observing safe distance in the Darbar Sahib Ji (prayer hall). With God’s grace guiding us through these challenging times, sevadars have continued to serve the Communities of Bedfordshire even when we had one Gianni (priest) at Gurughar, in whatever support and for as long as required in the ongoing pandemic.

You will be pleased to know that we have managed to get one Gianni and the second is awaiting a decision for his visa.

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GENERAL SECRETARY’S OVERVIEW

MR. PRATHVI RAJ RANDHAWA

Since July we have seen a gradual increase in the numbers of sangat (congregation) visiting the Gurughar. All activity seems to be normalising as we have already held funerals, celebrated twelve weddings and Nishan Sahib Ji ceremony to pre-lockdown numbers.

September saw a very successful passport & visa surgery held in the main hall with the Indian High Commission and visa passport team completing and issuing over 400 applications, who had come from as far as Scotland and Southampton.

The new Police Crime Commissioner (PCC) Festus Akinbusoye made a special visit to Gurughar on Diwali and was very pleased and praised the progress and contribution that SGRScc was making in the Community.

Diwali celebrations were not met with the usual fireworks display due to safety, as the number of corona virus cases still high in Bedfordshire.

Das would like to take this opportunity and on behalf of Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha Bedford Sewa Dars (Executive Management Committee) to pay our respect and condolences to all families who have been affected during these past 20 months and thank the trustees, all sangat, every sewadar and public officials who have supported us immensely.

Finally as you will be aware that the term of this management committee has also ended since July 2021 and from a practical point elections had to be postponed. President of gurughar has announced the date for SGRScc elections to be held on the 30th, January, 2022.

Thank You

JAI GURDEV JI

Prathvi Raj Randhawa (Gen.Sec.SGRScc Bedford)

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MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 11 i) GURU RA￿DASs SABH& BEDFORD s￿ GURU RA￿DASs BHAWAN & CoMMUNrrY CEKfRE GURU RAMDASS LANE. (OFF ASHBURNHAM RDI. BEDFORD. MK40 1 ED TEL O 1234 359681 21"Juty. 2019. Jai Gurdev fi Neith. F]ected Atanagement Comrnittee: ExKulii"e Members: Mts AbDashNwb Mr R￿D￿ Mekni Mt Tdak Raj" Yows Siw R•8i#rod Charity. f4WDbu'. IIIM89

MISSION STATEMENT

Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha and Community Centre Bedford is a multicultural Centre and aims to meet the social and cultural needs of the diverse local communities of Bedfordshire, improving quality of life of the users of the centre, and encouraging tolerance, understanding and harmony without discrimination of race, colour, caste, creed, religion, gender, ability or sexual orientation.

Aims

 To meet the social and cultural needs of the community.  To improve the quality of life of the users of the centre.  To actively support groups from different cultures, and provide a base for their activities.  To support the relief of poverty.  To work for the advancement of learning and education.  To encourage integration.  To support Ravidassia principles of:

 EQUALITY, JUSTICE, FAIRNESS, CHARITY, TOLERANCE and UNDERSTANDING.

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SRI GURU RAVIDASS SABHA TRUSTEE’S

Mr Rajender Kumar Badhan

Mr Rajender Kumar Badhan Mr Tarsem Paul Mr Satveer Badhan Mr Nasib Chand Rahl Mr Om Parkash Bagha Mr Michael Ram Mr Hazara Ram Bains Mr Malkiat Singh Randhawa Mr Mohan Singh Bains Mr Mohinder Ram Sandhu Mr Chain Ram

Mr Hazara Ram Bains Mr Mohan Singh Bains Mr Harmesh Bangerh Mr Ram Parkash Bangerh Mr Tarsem Bangher Mr Prem Chand Basra

Mr Charan Singh Mr Ram Saran Suman Mr Gurchain Singh Sunyara

Mr Sada Ram Bhatti

Mr Gurmel Singh Chamber Mr Mehar Chand Ghera Mr Sohan Singh Jhalli Mr Sodhi Ram Mahi Mr Baldev Raj Nighah Mr Chaman Lal Paul

Mr Roop Lal Paul Mr Sat Paul Mr Satpal Paul Mr Surinder Paul

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RE-OPENING CELEBRATIONS

COVID-19 COMPILANCE &

NISHAN SAHIB JI

RE-OPENING

8 Steps guide

For Bhawan to safely come out of lockdown

INDIA INDEPENDENCE DAY

TEEYAN DA MELA

PASSPORT & VISA SURGERY

WEDDINGS

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

HIGH SHERIFF’S AWARD

NEW AWARDS

NOMINATED FOR QUEENS VOLUNTARY SERVICE AWARD

BRITISH EMPIRE MEDAL (BEM)

Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha & Community Centre, (Bedford) Guru Ravidass Lane Bedford MK40 1ED Registered Charity: 1120489

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The Community Development Centre, (formerly known as the Learning Centre) was funded by the Big Lottery Fund and has been running ESOL and IT classes successfully where learners from all communities of Bedford are welcome to learn and socialise in a safe and friendly environment. Learners of basic computers and ESOL are taught by tutors from Bedford College and WEA.

Funding from Bedford Borough Council (Third Sector Funding) allowed us to purchase 10 more laptop computers. Extra furniture was made available to update the classrooms.

This year we have continued to redevelop our website for improved accessibility to news, events and services including archive material and provision for You Tube with a link to the organisations website. The website is available on www.gururavidasssabhabedford.com.

This site will allow us to offer our services to a wider audience of the Bedfordshire community. It will allow direct access to donors to make donations to SGRScc Bedford.

We will update all on our forthcoming programmes and also list facilities our organisation can provide at the New Community Building & Development Centre.

We are hoping that with todays changing technology we can utilise this medium to further our organisation and increase visibility.

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AUDITOR’S REPORT 2020 - 2021

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ACCOUNTS 2020 - 2021

SUMMARY

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ACCOUNTS 2020 - 2021

SUMMARY

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

THANKS TO:

Shri Guru Ravidass Sangat, LutonBedford Council of Faiths (Revd. Cassandra Howes)Strengthening Faith Institutions (SFI)Premier SolicitorsNHS Healthwatch (Emma Freda)The Harpur Trust (Grants Team)Bedfordshire & Luton Community Foundation (Grants Team)Sainsburys (Clapham, Bedford)Morrisons (Bedford)Premier Store (Harmesh Bangerh)Accurate Acc LtdMato DesignPHT PrintersBedford Taxi DriversSamaj Weekly

GURU RAVIDASS LANE BEDFORD MK40 1ED TEL: 01234 359681

EMAIL: GURURAVIDASS@BTINTERNET.COM

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