Eyecamp 2009

SIKH UNION COVENTRY FREE EYE OPERATION CAMP PHILLAUR, PUNJAB, INDIA 21st - 24th MARCH 2009

Every year Guru Tegh Bahadhur Ji Charity walk is held in Coventry. Much needed funds are raised to give to various charities locally and abroad. One project the Sikh Union felt was definitely worth embarking upon was to have a free Sikh Union Eye Camp in India. With the blessing of the Waheguru and the sangat we set upon to organise an eye camp in Phillaur, Jalandhar, Punjab which took place on the 21st to 24th march 2009. We named this project the "GIFT OF SIGHT"

Seven members of the club went to Phillaur to carry out this sewa. The eye camp was very successful, with 681 patients seen by the doctors. Travelling and accommodation costs were paid by the members themselves. Funds raised were wholly used for the eye camp. We also visited Pingalwara complex in Manawala and Amritsar and on behalf of the sangat a donation of five hundred pounds was made to Dr Inderjit Kaur, president of Pingalwara.

On behalf of Sikh Union, Coventry we thank the sangat for bestowing this sewa to us and above all the Waheguru for his blessing in carrying out this sewa successfully. We also thank Mr. Saudagar Singh Nagra for his help in organising the eyecamp, Viskwakarma mandir committee and all the doctors, surgeons, nurses and the support staff at the City Centre hospital, phillaur.

Here are some photographs of the eye camp and our visit to Pingalwara. Thank you for your continued support.

Letter of thanks

On behalf of the Sikh Union, I take this opportunity to thank all those who contributed towards this Eye Camp.

Firstly, our sincere thanks to Mr Sudaghar Singh Nagra for proposing 'Sewa' for the Eye Camp from the Sikh Union and thereafter for his continued support throughout in every respect. Our sincere thanks to the businessmen and families from Coventry, Birmingham and London, for their generous contributions towards this project. Our heartfelt thanks to all Coventry Gurdwaras and members of their congregations for their donations and for their participation in the Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji charity walk. Our sincere and heartfelt thanks cannot be enough for the committee members and volunteers of Vishwakarma Mandhir where the initial and main part of the Eye Camp was set up, for their effortless dedication in organising and setting up of the purpose built facility, including organising langar (free food) to be served to all who came for treatment and also to the general public

We thank the Doctors, Opticians, Nurses and Volunteers who carried out the initial registrations, checkups, tests, distributed medicines and Prescription glasses and ten Tricycles to the disabled people.

We thank the dedicated team of surgeons and nurses who carried out the cataract operations at the City Centre Hospital and for their kind and gentle manner in the aftercare of the patients. For their generous donations and participation at the Eye Camp, our sincere thanks to the following families:-

• In memory of Late Satnam Singh Sagoo - from his sons from Dubai and Italy.
• Ravinder and Paramjeet Chana from Derry, USA
• Deep Kaur Sembi and family from Nottingham, UK
• Raj Maan and family from Leicester, UK
• Rana Singh Gill and family from Willenhall, UK
• Harnake Singh Johal and family from Slough, UK
• Business family from Pillaur. INDIA, for their donation to the Hospital for purchasing medicines.
• Members of the Sikh Union for their donation to the Hospital

Our thanks to the TV station 'Door Darshan Punjab' for broadcasting (twice) a programme about the Sikh Union Eye Camp, and to their cameraman, Aman Gholi for his professionalism. My sincere thanks to all the Sikh Union members who participated in the success of this project from the beginning. And to those members who travelled to Punjab to see the smooth running of the Eye Camp, I thank them for their effortless participation and dedication throughout. I name them with pleasure:- Harbans Singh Gumman; Guriqbal Singh Panesar; Surinder Singh Marwaha; Baldev Singh Chaven (Chana); Harvinder Singh Bhabra; and Pargat Singh Lall.

We further extend our thanks to everyone we met on our travels in India for their friendship and making it so much more enjoyable. Finally, to all those who came to seek treatment at the Eye Camp - with the blessing of Waheguru, We wish them well, and may they all have a speedy recovery.

Palvinder Chana
Chairman - Sikh Union (Coventry)