Pre & Post Mela Events & Activities

In the earlier part of 2010 the Volunteer Centre Swindon hosted an event as part of national Volunteers Week called Valuing Volunteers. This event celebrated the contribution that volunteers make throughout the year and raised the profile of volunteer-involving organisation. The Mela wants thank volunteers not only for their commitment and hard work to setting up the Mela but also to acknowledge the skills and knowledge that they had to offer, the nomination for the successful volunteer was not aimed at the person who had given the most time, it may have been someone who had volunteered despite their personal circumstance or really had made a difference to the organisation.

The Mela Executive Committee nominated three volunteers from the Mela Membership that shared their skills and have shown an interest in the Mela’s aims and objectives of promoting diversity amongst the communities to receive an award.

• Jatinder Singh Eshar
• Charan Singh Thandi
• Kakaub Dean

The volunteers were awarded certificates by Graham Mack from BBC Wiltshire they then were given a “pampering session” and received goodie bags courtesy of Lush.

With a view to attract new members we also set up a display stand where we were able to provide some taster sessions in henna, sari tying and turban tying. Swindon MP’s Justin Tomlinson and Robert Buckland attended the event and signed up as Mela Members.