Bhaishri visits a Day Centre and Nursing Home for the elderly in London

Following his visit to the USA, Pujya Bhaishri stopped in the UK for three days on his way back to India.

On Thursday 15th August, Bhaishri visited the ‘Anjali Day Centre’ and ‘Sancroft Hall Residential Home’ and in Harrow, which was built in 1999 and is run by the Fremantle Trust. Here Bhaishri personally met staff and visitors of the day centre and residents of the home. Bhaishri sat for some time in the day centre’s large common room with over 40 elderly visitors, engaging in conversation with them. After the welcome speech, Bhaishri conducted the ‘Deep Pragatya’ ceremony. Following this, everyone present sang the Indian National Anthem, as it was Independence Day. Bhaishri distributed fruit to all the visitors, including all the non-Indians.

The elderly that visit the day centre are collected from their own homes every morning and brought to the centre where they take part in various activities such as yoga, meditation, singing bhajans and sewing.

Next to the day centre is a residential home where there is a special wing for Indian residents. For those that were unable to leave their beds to meet Bhaishri, he personally visited over 20 rooms and spent some time with each resident asking of their health and distributing fruit. Everybody was overjoyed that Bhaishri had come to see them and prayed that he visit again.

Pallvikaben Thakrar, a member of staff at the day centre, said ‘This is a very historic day for the centre and the residential home. These elderly men and women are not able to attend kathas or pravachans and hence would not get the opportunity to even see Bhaishri. For him to come and visit them is a very special gesture’.

Pallvikaben Thakrar, Ushaben Patel and Manjeetji Kaur form the team of people that run the well established day centre. Bhaishri praised the service provided and commented that the facilities, such as the kitchens and bathrooms, were of a very high standard.

During the short visit, Bhaishri stayed at the residence of Shri Himatbhai Davda, where he met many visitors daily. A bhajan-sankirtan programme was held every evening in a large marquee. One evening, after the bhajan programme, Bhaishri’s birthday was celebrated early when a large birthday cake was presented to him. After cutting the cake, he fed pieces to all the young children.

Bhaishri also used the visit as an opportunity to meet the trustees of Sanskruti Foundation UK and discuss plans for next year’s activities.