Around 50 members from the Northampton stake joined with local Sikhs to help clear land and prepare for the building of a Gurdwara at St James Mill in the centre of Northampton. The members from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were delighted to be able to help and work with another faith on this important project.
Michael Ellis, MP for Northampton North, came to see the work in progress on Saturday where women, men and youth aged 16 years and over helped cut back overgrowth, paint the outside fence and clear out the shell of the building for the Gurdwara. Mr Ellis remarked that ‘it was a real pleasure today to visit the site of the new Sikh Gurdwara in Northampton. A big community turnout!’
Arthur Newbury, a member of the stake public affairs council and active in the community stated, “In May 2014 I attended a meeting of community leaders and first met Amarjit where I heard about the new temple site. This gave me an idea for a Helping Hands activity and after two years the purchase of the land enabled the project to come to fruition. I felt very humbled by this great day and I believe the Lord opened the doors for this to happen.”
The local leader of the Sikh faith, Amarjit, commented that it was a great day indeed!
Police Community Engagement Officer DC Rachel Packman visited the project and remarked: “It was a good turnout of about 80 people. The cooperation between these two faith groups reflects the wider picture in Northampton where the majority of all faith and community groups respect each other’s views and try and help each other where possible.”
Interfaith relations between members and other faiths has developed recently with attendance at the Northampton Interfaith Forum meetings including an invitation by The Dialogue Society to a dinner to mark the end of Ramadan to Tony Twigger, director of public affairs in the stake.