Introduction
NishkamSWAT is a 100% voluntary humanitarian-aid organisation founded in 2008 that look after the immediate needs of the street homeless. We serve at least 5000 meals a week in 24 locations in the UK, and 2 locations internationally, 32 times a week based on the concept of Langar (Free Community Kitchen) through our faith-based values of love, truth, compassion, forgiveness, contentment and humility. One outreach location in particular, Trafalgar Square in London sees at least 350 meals being served on some nights, 5 times a week. During these unprecedented times in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an increase in service users which has increased the amount of food, refreshments, clothing and blankets/sleeping bags we serve.
NishkamSWAT Projects
- Homeless Project - Serving 5000meals a week in the UK
- Nishkam Healthcare - Serving 150 people a month with healthcare help/advice in Slough, Reading and at Trafalgar Square (people who do not have an address do not have access to the NHS in the UK)
- Project Recovery - A helpline for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse and those supporting them (On Hold)
- Elderly Care Project - Visiting Elderly residents in West and East London (On hold)
- NishkamSWAT Help COVID-19 Free Mobile Langar Delivery Service (20th March 2020 - 31st July 2020) -50,000 meals delivered and served by volunteers and Sky Engineer Drivers across the UK to those who were vulnerable, isolated and shielding due to the COVID-19 Pandemic as well as various NHS staff members and hospitals too
- NishkamSWAT Vaccine Service for the Homeless (Strand and Hounslow)
- NishkamSWAT Oxygen for India Appeal
November 2020: OKA have made a grant of £4200 to SWAT for funding 3 pallets of biscuits that will be used to feed the Homeless of London during these weeks up to Christmas 2020.
October 2020: A grant of £3000 was made towards your purchase of a Van to facilitate SWAT's ongoing work in the community. The grant was funded through a donation of £3000 made by Balwinder Kapila to One Kind Act on behalf of the Aman Kapila Memorial Fund specifically in response to SWAT's appeal for the purchase of the Van.
November 2019: A grant of £2,010 has been made to fund winter clothing packs for the homeless.
February 2019: A grant of £500 has been made to fund the feeding of homeless on Sunday 17 February. Numerous members of the One Kind Act team were present to serve the food.
OKA are very proud to donate a cheque for £10,000 to help towards the purchase of a new building for SWAT to operate from. They are currently renting but feel the need to lay their foundations as they have grown rapidly over the last 10 years. We presented the cheque on Sunday 17 February at the Strand, when many members of One Kind Act team were present to serve the food to the homeless who come every week to be fed their daily nourishment. OKA made a further grant of £500 to fund the feeding on Sunday 17 February.
February 2019: A grant of £2,000 has been made to fund 100 sleeping bags and 100 hats and gloves for the homeless.
August 2018: A grant of £1,460 has been made to provide a supply of biscuits to over 200 homeless people.
March 2018: A grant of £1,663 has been made to provide a supply of biscuits to over 200 homeless people.
December 2017: A grant of £2,200 has been made to fund 100 sleeping bags and 100 hats and gloves for the homeless.
January 2017: On Sunday 29 January 2017, a dozen OKA affiliates and Sponsors, Meera & Harry Bhogal, joined SWAT for their regular slot in the Strand to feed the homeless. Hot food, dessert, cake and hot drinks were distributed along with blankets, scarves and hats to almost 200 deprived homeless.
It was a particularly brutal day with icy driving winds and heavy rain. Everyone was huddled under hooded jackets, handing out food, trying hard to be upbeat and joyous. However, an OKA trustee looked sorry enough to be mistaken for one of the homeless and was promptly offered compassion and a warm meal!
Despite of, or perhaps because of the weather, the homeless continued to stream through for almost two hours, grateful for the food, blankets and the warmth of volunteers who clearly cared about them as individuals.
SWAT not only feed the homeless in UK through their volunteers' fundraising efforts, but also do other wonderful work like providing maternity care support for mothers in poverty in Kenya.
May 2016: On one of the warmer evenings in May we’ve experienced this year, members of the OKA committee gathered at the Strand to offer help to an amazing charity SWAT (Sikh Welfare & Awareness Team). Initially set up as an organisation to primarily unite and transform financially disadvantaged communities, SWAT recognised in 2009 a desperate need to attend to so many people sleeping rough on the streets of London. It was then that they established their "Homeless Project" to reach out and feed the less fortunate in all different areas of the UK.
London brightens up noticeably in periods of fine weather, no doubt apparent on that sunny evening in May as we noticed a greater bustle and liveliness on its streets. However, balmy weather does not disguise the real hardships of the homeless, who struggle daily without food and shelter. This uncertainty prevails throughout rain or shine. This was abundantly clear as we witnessed a queue of around 200 men and women waiting in line to be given their daily meal. We felt privileged that we could help. With an assortment of drinks, snacks, pre-prepared food and pizzas donated by the Pizza Express chain of restaurants, we were able to help alleviate some of their despair. In particular, one woman stood out. 8 months pregnant, she expressed immense gratitude for her next meal. She had nowhere else to go and though she was likely to be admitted into hospital for the birth of her child, she was under no illusion that she would return with her new-born to the unforgiving harshness of the streets of London. It saddened our hearts to hear this and we, as associates of OKA, felt humbled to be able to help.
December 2015:
A grant of £100 per month for 1 year (Total of £1,200) has been made to provide monthly supply of biscuits to up to 200 homeless people.
About One Kind Act
One Kind Act Change Communities and lives of others globally who suffer as a result of Poverty of Health, Nutrition and Education and may have Fallen Through The Net of the larger charities. Learn More here
