Shree Jalaram Prarthna Mandal, Jalaram Mandir and Community Centre in Leicester, has been conferred with the prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAV) in 2023 - the highest accolade for volunteer groups in the UK. This honour, equivalent to an MBE for voluntary organisations, was formally presented to the Chairman Pramod Thakkar (who received the award on behalf of all the volunteers), at a special award ceremony held at the Jalaram Mandir on Friday, March 2024.
On behalf of the trustees and volunteers, Mr Pramod Thakkar, chair of the Jalaram Charitable Trust sent his best wishes and prayers for the good health of His Majesty The King and mentioned that on January 25 January 2017, when his Majesty was still His Royal Highness Prince Charles, he had walked along Narborough Road and passed through the temple, expressing his pleasure at seeing so many diverse communities living together in peace and harmony.
He went on to say, “We are delighted that the great work of all our dedicated volunteer groups has been recognised by this prestigious award. I feel immensely proud and honoured to accept The King’s Award for Voluntary Service on behalf of all our dedicated volunteers.
His Majesty's Lord - Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Mike Kapur OBE, delivered a heartfelt speech acknowledging the monumental contributions of the Trust and its volunteers. Highlighting the award’s importance, the Lord Lieutenant noted, “To have achieved this award is a great tribute to the Jalaram Charitable Trust and its valued team of volunteers, as it is a very significant national honour.”
He further commended the trust for being among the first in Leicestershire to receive the award during King Charles III’s reign.
“As Lord Lieutenant, I visit a large number of community organisations in Leicester and Leicestershire, and I never cease to be amazed at the quality and range of services and support these groups are providing within their local communities and beyond. Although diverse in their nature, what is common is that these organisations rely so much on the voluntary efforts of those who work tirelessly for the benefit of others.”
The Trustees of Jalaram Charitable Trust extended their heartfelt gratitude to all its volunteers, partners and the community for their continuous support, On behalf of the Trust, miniature awards along with KAV lapel badges were presented by the Lord-Lieutenant Mike Kapur, OBE and Deputy Lieutenants Professor Sir Nilesh Samani and Dr Nik Kotecha to the heads of volunteer groups, namely Hanuman Sewa Group, Winter Shelter Volunteers and One Roof Charity, Helping Hands, Jalaram Baal Vikas and Shishu Vikas, in-house volunteers, and Charnwood Lions Club.
Birju Ghelani read the names of each group, while Sunil Budheo gave a brief overview of each of the above groups.
Trustee Priti Raichura, while giving the vote of thanks said, "These are very challenging times. Many people in our local communities find themselves without the basic security of food and housing. The work of our volunteers is a clear demonstration of care and compassion for our brothers and sisters.
To have received the award the volunteers feel valued for the tireless work they do which gives them the motivation to continue."
Following the presentation ceremony, the guests and volunteers proceeded to the community centre, where the different volunteering activities were displayed on TV screens. Photo sessions took place and refreshments were served.
