1/1 THE committee managing Swindon’s Hindu temple explained how they hosted religious events while staying within Covid safety guidelines. Pradeep Bhardwaj, Sunny Patel and Sudhe Sri have maintained the Hindu hub in Cheney Manor throughout the last year, regularly inspecting the premises and ensuring the statues of deities specially shipped over from India remained pristine. They worked within the government’s exemption for places of worship and held Saturday services for 20 people in-between the second and third lockdowns, but the building has stayed closed for most of the pandemic. Diwali became a virtual event for the first time, with dignitaries attending over Zoom, and post-pandemic ceremonies could involve a hybrid of virtual and in-person attendance.
TODAY, the Adver pays tribute to the amazing people of Swindon who went the extra mile to help those in need during the pandemic. Whether it s feeding the hungry, supporting the vulnerable, or doing something silly to bring a smile to children s faces, the last 12 months have seen an incredible community effort . Community groups and businesses all over the town stepped up to the plate to feed hundreds of hungry children over the half-term after the government decided not to extend the free school meals scheme during the break. Though the PM later had a change of heart about this in November, these companies and groups were just as eager to support young people in need when the winter school holidays arrived.