Reports

Casework (ongoing) 

• Kirpan, bullying, weddings, Afghan Sikhs, Gurdwara Sahib management support.
• Supported the campaign against the extradition of three British Sikhs.
• Liaison meeting with police forces.

Census 2021 

• Actively campaigned to educate and support towards Sikhs being a distinct Quom.
• Continued to provide inputs into the ONS consultations.
• Data releases expected from November 2022 onwards.

Conferences

Organised and assisted conferences in Preston, Warrington, London and Birmingham. Main topic has been the manipulative conversion activity.

COVID-19

• Support to Gurdwara Sahibs and Sangat over COVID-19 crisis.
• Supported those stuck in India due to lockdowns.
• Represented at Sikh Round Table with the Government.
• Provided guidance and regular updates as well as respond to specific enquiries.
• Represented the community on Medical Ethics Advisory Group during this critical time.

Farmers Protest 

• Supported the protest and sharing of information.
• Produced banners and briefed MP’s ahead of debate.
• Wrote to many key organisations to raise concerns.
• Created a film.
• Organised two demonstrations (Birmingham and London).
• Organised a thanksgiving event.

Gurdwara Sahib support 

• Several training sessions delivered.
• Meetings held concerning visas for religious workers.
• Consultations completed on setting up of a Standing Committee.
• Safeguarding Training provided for record number of Gurdwara Sahibs (161 people trained).
• Gurdwara project website almost ready to be launched.
• Eight Gurdwara Sahibs assisted with disputes and other issues.
• Re-issued allergens guidance.
• Templates of policies being finalised for use by Gurdwara Sahib Committees.

Indian Sub-continent 

Regular meetings and considerable activity in relation to issues concerning the community on the Indian subcontinent. These included:

• Advocating for a safe passage for the Afgan Sikhs.
• Meeting with officials at the Pakistan Embassy in connection with emerging issues.
• Meetings with the Jathedar Sri Akaal Ttakhat Sahib Ji.

Nationality and Borders Bill

• Continued lobbying of MP’s and Lords.
• Worked in partnership with other organisations.
• The bill is now law.

Political Engagement 

• Three meetings relating held towards developing a strategy for building Sikh influence and vote and effective political engagement.
• Represented the SSCUK at high profile events including Guildhall and Downing Street.

Gurdwara Governance

• Created an online range of policies and procedures relating to governance in Gurdwaras.
• In relation to religious workers, SSCUK facilitated meetings between Home office officials and Gurdwaras so that concerns could be expressed, leading to some changes, but indeed a work in progress.
• Granthis shortage and conduct – the Council continues to build on the work with the Home Office to make it easier for bringing of granthis from abroad to meet the demand. Safeguarding and registration of granthis requires more work.

Health and Food

• Lead the provision of information on regulations concerning declaration of allergens to Gurdwaras to reduce risk of litigation.

Panthic Issues

The right to wear Dastaar (Turban) – Successfully worked with the government to bring in primary legislation in workplaces as part of the Deregulation bill. Health & Safety policies were being used to prevent Sikhs working in many environments (one Sikh had been dismissed for refusing to comply after a 10 year period of wearing a Dastaar).

• Campaigns to prevent the death sentence of Rajoanna and Professor Bhullar
• Hunger strikes by Bhai Gurbux Singh and Bapu Surat (release of Sikh prisoners)
• Interfaith Anand Karaj
• Sikh on Sikh violence
• Two 1984 June rallies

Strategy, Policy, Legal

• Started campaigning on the inclusion of the Sikh ethnicity tick box in 2011. Since then has supported campaign by responding to all consultations and raising the issue with the government.
• Caste: campaigning to change the definition of caste in the explanatory notes of Equality Act 2010.
• Charities Commission: discussions underway to improve governance, dispute resolution, improved constitutions etc
• Equality Act 2010 – Outrightly challenging the activation of caste as a distinct protected category in the Equality Act 2010, resulting in the preferred case law approach being taken, thus preventing entrenchment of caste in British Society.

World – Europe / International

• Paris Accord 2011: All Sikh organisations in European countries signed up to working together with SCUK taking the lead.
• Broke the news and raised the issue of 1984 disclosure with UK governments and led on all the meetings leading up to the issuing of the report by Sir Jeremy Haywood and continues to support the campaign for an enquiry.

World – Indian Subcontinent

• Panjab wellbeing and prosperity: renewed focus in this area going forward.