Homeless shelter opens with multi faith support in Leicester

This article is more than 6 years old Seven faiths or denominations involved, with shelter rotating between churches, synagogue and Muslim community centre

Volunteers for One Roof set up beds at the homeless shelter in Leicester. Photograph: handout

A night shelter for rough sleepers in Leicester will rotate between Anglican and Catholic churches, a Muslim community centre, a synagogue and a Hindu temple over the next 11 weeks in the first multifaith venture of its kind in the UK.

The shelter, which provides overnight bed, board and support for 10 homeless men, opened on Monday. Seven faiths or denominations are involved, with Quakers and Sikhs providing support and meals at different religious venues. More than 200 people from different faith communities and of no faith have volunteered to support the project.

“For most of the faith venues, this is the first time they’ve provided night shelter for rough sleepers,” said Salma Ravat, the project’s manager. The venues are made available from 6pm until 9am, with volunteers setting up beds, serving meals and socialising with the men. “We refer to them as ‘guests’ because we’re trying to create a warm, welcoming environment, in which people are treated with respect,” said Ravat.

The response to an appeal for volunteers was overwhelming, she said. “Not all of them are religious, but we’re encouraging them to volunteer at venues that aren’t necessarily familiar to them – Muslims in churches, or Christians in synagogues for example.

“It’s hugely important for people to have experience of working with or living alongside or making friends with people of different faiths or religions. A project like this brings everyone together in a shared desire to help, and takes away a lot of barriers. It’s really humbling to see how friendships develop, and the impact this can have on our society.”

The number of rough sleepers in Leicester had more than doubled in the past year, Ravat said, from 22 in the 2015 annual count to 46 this year. “These are just the ones we know of. It’s a rising problem,” she said.

The men who have been referred to the shelter this week have included some Britons, some eastern Europeans and one whose asylum application had been rejected. The multifaith project was “not about preaching”, said Ravat. No religious activities were offered to the guests, she said, and “there is no expectation on anyone”.

Leicester is one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse cities in the UK outside London, with significant Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Polish, Turkish Kurdish, Afghan and Somali communities. The proportion of the population identifying as Christian is estimated at just under one-third. Muslims make up 18.6% and Hindus 15.2% of the population.

Article by The Guardian

Temple and community centre hosts new 'high-volume' Covid-19 vaccination site

It has the capacity to administer up to 3,000 vaccines per week.

A new, high-capacity Covid-19 vaccination site has opened at a temple and community centre in Leicester. The site opened earlier this month at the Jalaram Temple and Community Centre in the Westcotesarea of the city, aiming to serve local people while also spreading the importance of getting jabbed

Millions of vulnerable people are to be offered a COVID-19 booster vaccine as the government confirms it has accepted the final advice from the independent

Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

The programme will be rolled out to the same priority groups as previously. This means care home residents, health and social care workers, people aged over 50, those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19, adult carers, and adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals will be prioritised.1

Pramod Thakkar, Chairman of the Jalaram Charitable Trust said, “The Jalaram Community Centre has always been used for various multi-cultural activities for various faiths to come together and has been an integral part of Leicester’s multicultural success. We have a long history of supporting good causes in our community and so hosting the COVID-19 vaccination centre fits perfectly into the ethos and values of the Jalaram Charitable Trust.”

Danesh Gadhia, CEO Morningside group of pharmacies said “Patels Chemist on Narborough Road has been caring for the health of our local community for over 30 years and we are extremely proud to be part of the national NHS effort against the Coronavirus pandemic. We are also very grateful to the Jalaram Community Centre for accommodating our request to administer the COVID-19 vaccination site from their premises.”

Article from Leicester Mercury by By Asha Patel

All you can eat restaurant serves up 20,000 takeaway meals to NHS and key workers in coronavirus cri

Many were finding it difficult to feed their families due to panic buying and supermarket queues'

More than 20,000 meals have been provided for NHS staff and other frontline workers during the coronavirus crisis thanks to the efforts of an Indian all you can eat restaurant in Leicester city centre.

Doctors, nurses, hospital porters, care assistants, East Midlands Ambulance Service crews, Leicester City Council workers, Leicestershire Police officers and many more are among those who have enjoyed the food prepared by More Restaurant, in London Road, over the past six weeks

The project was kick started with a £10,000 donation by Naresh Popat and the Leicester Charnwood Lions Club, with the Jalaram Hindu temple, in Narborough Road, and The Randal Charitable Foundation among other donors backing the project.

The buffet restaurant and its staff and volunteers have responded to the crisis - and the government's social distancing lockdown, which saw all restaurants closed to diners - by launching a takeaway and delivery service serving the local community.

Owner Manoj Keshavji said: "When the pandemic was declared the effects of Covid-19 quickly started to be felt by the whole country.

Commenting on the help the restaurant and its staff have provided, Gareth said: "This is a wonderful service and our NHS staff greatly appreciate these efforts".

A fundraising page was also created which currently has donations totalling over £5,000 from the general public.

Press Release by Dave Owen, Leicester Mercury