Spreading kindness: a Sikh charity Nishkamswat feeding the homeless across the UK

Been in London and seen this kindness van in Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square or near Charring Cross station earlier with a long queue of people? 

Nishkam SWAT, a charity based on the Sikh principles of sharing & selfless compassion through ‘Langar’ (free food) is helping nourish the people in need, an initiative by a stellar team based out of London.

What started as a predominantly Sikh youth club to protect the youth from drug issues & alcohol in Southall morphed into a mission to support the homeless displaced immigrants from India. Having supported them with the help of immigration department, they then scaled the welfare service to the wider community to serve the homeless across the nation.

The group helps the financially disadvantaged communities across 24 locations in UK with over 2,000 volunteers. 

The spirit of community & kindness is so well known that it’s harder to not remember them during trying times like the Covid-19.  As Randeep Lall CEO, Nishkam SWATS recalls, the Charring Police Station asked their whereabouts during the Covid-19 Pandemic when the organisation was unsure about restrictions and they were soon to respond to SOS, spot on – serving the community of London and beyond yet again! Their goal? Humanity!

If you are out of money, aren't able to feed yourself, have a look into the schedule below and seek food from them.  If you are able to feed yourself but want to feed your soul then help in spreading the kindness?– join them, cheer them & support them in whichever way you can. 

Anyone can volunteer with them, you are just an email, message or call away (check out their Instagram or website).

They serve free food during the days & times below (please check their website for updated times & details)

Monday

Strand - 7:30pm

Slough/Windsor - 7:00pm

Camden - 7:30pm

Shoreditch - 7:30pm

Bristol - 6:30pm

Tuesday

Strand - 7:30pm

Oxford - 7:30pm

Croydon - 7:30pm

Wednesday

Strand - 7:30pm

Slough/Windsor - 7:00pm

Reading - 7:00pm

Southall - 7:30pm

Ilford - 7:30pm

Thursday

Southampton - 7:00pm

Strand - 7:30pm

Oxford - 7:30pm

Stratford - 7:30pm

Colchester - 8:00pm

Friday

King's Cross - 7:30pm

Oxford - 7:00pm

Finsbury Park

Saturday

Lancaster - 6:30pm

Birmingham - 7:00pm

Swindon - 7:00pm

Maidenhead

Sunday

Strand - 6:00pm

Milton Keynes - 6:00pm

Reading - 6:00pm

Birmingham - 7:00pm

Buenos Aires (Argentina) -11:00am

Service once a month

Brighton

Trafalgar Square

Randeep’s message to the community & C-19 -Engage more with families and communities, irrespective of faith. This is normal, this is not the new normal. We were not living normally before.
Picture credits - @nishkamswat