Sikh Union Coventry

Presentation

On the 10^th of March, our Founder was invited to make a presentation of the MTM National Award For Excellence & Achievement to 2017 winners Sikh Union Coventry. The event was graced by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Coventry amongst many guests and dignitaries.

About Sikh Union

The organisation was formed for the love of hockey which has been a very popular sport among Indian people for many years. This trend continued with Sikhs who had immigrated to East Africa in the early 1900’s, to build the Kenya-Uganda railway. The migrants continued with their popular sports hockey with several clubs playing in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to a high level.

There was a Sikh Union Club in different East African towns, where sport and social gatherings brought these communities together.

The sixties and seventies saw the arrival into Britain of many Asian immigrants from East Africa, and with many of them keen hockey players, they wanted to continue playing.

A group of them, mainly Sikhs, started training together on a regular basis at Morris Park in Stoke Heath, Coventry. Thus “Sikh Union Hockey Club Coventry” was formed around 1970.

As costs escalated over the years and in order to remain self-sufficient, the club embarked on various fundraising activities to enable the hockey club to survive.   As fundraising activities increased, the club started contributing towards needy local causes and today Sikh Union Coventry are at the forefront of helping to develop resources for the youth in Coventry and beyond. Cultural, sports and social events are organised in order to provide a platform for the youth to integrate into the community.

Aims and objectives

To develop and provide educational and recreational resources for the Sikh youth.

To organise events and facilities catering for Sikh cultural, sports and social needs.

To develop partnerships with other communities.

To strengthen and promote the moral, spiritual and cultural values of the Sikh community.

To provide a platform for the Sikh youth to integrate amongst themselves and others.

In June 2016, Sikh Union Coventry was awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

This award is the highest honour given to volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work in their communities and is equivalent in status to an MBE.

The Award was created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and winners are announced each year on 2^nd June; the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.

Members of the Committee were invited to Buckingham Palace to meet members of the Royal Family, and this was followed by a formal presentation of the commemorative crystal and certificate on 6th August at the clubs headquarters at Daimler Green Community Centre.

The group is currently in Punjab India where they are arranging prosthetic fittings and eye camp to carry out operations

In 2020 Sikh Union Coventry celebrates their Golden Jubilee and events have been lined up beginning 2019.