By Michal Okonski
The Midland Langar Seva Society has passed its tenth year providing free hot meals to vulnerable people in Leicester as homelessness rises.
The charity, which serves under the principle ‘Langar’, meaning community kitchen, serves hot meals three times a week at different locations in Leicester.
Ginda Basra, 54, from Leicester, is the leader of the Leicester branch of the society and said: “The MLSS gives out about 30,000 meals a week.
“We’re now based in 28 different towns in the UK. But it’s not just a meal, it’s a place where people get treated with respect and a smile.”
The MLSS was set up in 2013 in Walsall as a way to bring the Langar out into the community.
“I think in Leicester during the pandemic we gave out nearly 300,000 meals, all without any real support from local authorities,” Ginda said.
“You could be in a suit, or you could be a rough sleeper – you’re not judged by this. There is no VIP service,” he continued. “We believe in serving humanity.”
The meals are made fresh in Gurdwaras, Sikh temples, then transported to the feed sites such as at St Peter’s Church or St Margaret’s Church. They have no permanent base but are looking for one.
It has been found that 1 in 160 people in England are homeless today – about 354,000 in total. This is an increase of 14 per cent from 2023, according to Shelter England.
“It’s beyond belief,” Ginda said. “A lot of homeless people don’t want to be seen in public, so they go to rural and dangerous areas to sleep.”
Over Christmas, the charity gave out presents for almost 400 people.
They also provided each of them with a vegetarian Christmas dinner as well as hats, gloves and blankets for winter.
“We don’t only have rough sleepers come to our feeds now,” Ginda said. “Any normal person would feel the pinch, so we even have international students join us. We help everybody.”
The charity has big targets, such as personalising care and accommodation for every service user, however funding is difficult to find.
If you’d like to donate or get involved, its website is https://midlandlangarseva.org and its team works with Sikh societies on campus regularly.
