King Charles to visit newly-built Sikh gurdwara in UK

LONDON: King Charles III will visit a newly-built Sikh gurdwara on his first trip to Bedfordshire as monarch on December 6.

At the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Luton, the King will speak to the community members to learn more about the initiatives delivered to the locals, like Covid vaccine clinics and free meal (langar) services.

"We are delighted that King Charles will come to officially open our new Gurdwara and recognise GNG's amazing work supporting local communities -- Langar service, Soup Kitchen, Covid Vaccine Clinics," the Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Luton, said in a Twitter post.

He will also meet the volunteers at the gurdwara's Sikh Soup Kitchen to understand how they support the local community via their food and health programmes.

The Sikh Soup Kitchen recently reached the 5,000-meal landmark since its opening in November last year, and serves 150 hot vegetarian meals every Sunday outside the Luton Town Hall.

The King will be greeted by Professor Gurch Randhawa, member of the Sikh Congregation at the gurdwara.

He will also talk to children learning Punjabi and traditional music, GPs who ran the Vaisakhi vaccine clinic during the pandemic, and the volunteers who run the 24-hour kitchen, before unveiling a plaque, ITVX reported.

Funded by community donations, the construction of the gurdwara started on June 22, and was finished in two years.

Luton's Sikh community worshipped in a two-bedroom house in the town in the early 1980s.

The King will also visit the Luton Town Hall and a new passenger transport link to London-Luton Airport.