People
‘Seva Scotland’ Serves Glasgow’s Hungry, Homeless, Needy
CLAIRE HUTCHISON
The smell of food wafts down Cadogan Street in the heart of Glasgow’s city centre in Scotland, cutting through the cold. It's 9 pm and the temperature has dropped again.
Soon you hear the clanking of plates and pots, chat and laughter as a group of volunteers serve up hot meals and a line begins to form. Some of those in the queue are homeless, others are hungry and struggling to pay their bills and put even one square daily meal on the table.
Seva Scotland serves them all.
Seva Scotland constitutes a Sikh volunteer group set up to feed the homeless in Glasgow. They are out on Cadogan Street every Monday and Tuesday at around 9 pm, not only helping their fellow Glaswegians but putting their faith in action.
Seva in Punjabi means “selfless service” and is an important part of the Sikh religion and as volunteer, Rajpal Singh, explains: “We are an organic, grassroots movement. We have a bit of banter and do everything with a smile.
“Four years ago, we started off with three volunteers. Then we just grew and grew. Now we’ve got about 20 volunteers at any one time.”
Seva Scotland serves vegetarian meals such as pasta, pizza and curry, gathering together at the Gurdwaras on Albert Drive and Berkeley Street to cook the food.
On a typical evening, around 30 hot meals are prepared and handed out to vulnerable people and each comes with a snack pack.
While many people who receive the meals are homeless, the group serve anyone in need.
Rajpal said: “There’s people out there who do have a roof over their heads - but they may have limited income. So whoever comes along, we give food to them.”
As the frost has set in, Seva Scotland have also handed out free sleeping bags, blankets, hats and gloves.
On Christmas Day, the group even spread goodwill by handing out presents to vulnerable people.
And while their main aim is to help people who need it most, their work is a perfect example of their faith in action.
Volunteer Satnam Singh added: “The group is important as it helps build familiarity with Sikh faces for anyone in Glasgow.
“If anyone sees a Sikh, they know that they can approach that person for help.”
Seva Scotland is self funded and is always happy to accept food donations. Anyone who wants to help can donate non-perishable items such as pasta, canned sauce and rice.
You can find Seva Scotland on Facebook or visit their website here.
[Courtesy: Glasgow Live]
January 20, 2018
Conversation about this article
1: Ajit Singh Batra (Pennsville, New Jersey, USA), January 21, 2018, 2:45 PM.
An excellent gesture by Glasgow's Sikhs. They are expressing themselves in humanism, voluntarily serving the homeless, the hungry and the needy people in Glasgow. Sikhi promotes faith and love in God in serving the down-trodden humanity. Guru Gobind Singh Ji prayed never to be deterred from righteous actions ... such as these, for example.