Introducing ‘new heritage community champions’

Early thoughts on how to work with providers of new heritage benefits!


I am grateful for a few responses and know that many people are reluctant to name themselves in a public debate for many reasons, not to mention contractual undertakings with employers. It is the feedback that I want …even a flying pigeon will do if you can find one!

It is also time to look at a few examples in further detail. I will be talking to Kuldip Singh Rihal to focus on the work that the Sikh community has been doing in Southfields, South London, near Wimbledon. Over 20 or more years, the Sikh Temple on Merton Road has become “a centre of excellence”, using the yardsticks that people in community development understand and value.

What has been the reason for the success of the Southfields Sikh Centre as a agency for local development? How has a place of religious worship found its way into the local community? What more would the centre managers like to achieve and what are the areas in which they need help? These questions apply to many new heritage community champions a term that I will be using to describe the work of dedicated leaders who have worked with very little to achieve so much.

Many are on the verge of major change and may need help in achieving their objectives. It is clear that the Government will be seeking new collaborations with the Third Sector. The new heritage champions are people and organisations which have ‘cut through the ice’ and created a sound asset base which needs further exploitation. How can Government work with new heritage organisations and help to create better returns on their efforts but at the same time to utilise the talent, asset base and capacity? A few early thoughts follow in the next post.

An organisation that has taken major strides in developing their programmes for community development is the Ramgarhia Sikh Temple, based in Upton Park, Newham. I will admit to an affiliation with the organisation but their action plans have led to a surge in new ideas that people in the community are starting to relate to. It is setting up the Centre@270 Trust, a new dedicated organisation to spearhead community action programmes by using £2 million worth of community assets which have now become available following the construction of a new Sikh Temple on Neville Road, E7. A case study is to follow following extensive discussions with past and present leadership. An interview will also follow with Trustees, comprising Sarup Singh Kalsi, Tarsem Singh Bhogal and Kewal Singh Chana.

Another project with extensive future benefit is the prospective launch of The Falcon Sports and Community Centre under the leadership of Ajit Singh Purewal and his team. Early stage planning issues have been taking up some time but the impact of community action in creating a major sports and community centre will benefit the entire community in the Stoke Poges Lane, an area of Slough, Berks.

Sukhjit Dhaliwal and Rajinder Sandhu bring many years of business, voluntary sector and local authority expertise to their plans to launch the Centre for Community Action Partnerships, to be based also in Slough. A work programme will make first advances in accessing Government funding to create employment and training outcomes. A second case study follows.