The founder of City Sikhs, Param Singh, has been awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen for services to minority communities in the UK.

Over the last 17 years he has worked diligently to develop meaningful interfaith relations between Sikhs and non-Sikhs in modern Britain as well as supporting various minorities including members of the LGBTQ community.

In 2010 he founded City Sikhs with a group of friends as a nationwide network of progressive Sikhs. It now has 7,000 members and it provides a voice to British Sikhs wanting to create positive change in society.

His voluntary work has included working with a wide range of organisations including charities, corporates, faith and interfaith groups, and government departments. One of the projects he has most recently been involved in is helping to improve access for BAME men and women within the corporate world.

On hearing the news, Param said “I feel incredibly honoured by this recognition from the Queen. My family has been a great support to me ever since I began volunteering in my student days, and I’ve been influenced by trailblazers within my own family, including my grandfather Professor Sunder Singh who was one of the first minority ethnic people to graduate from the University of Sheffield almost 90 years ago and who went on to become an education pioneer in India. I want to dedicate my honour to my grandfather and others who were proud of their identity and willing to stand up for what they believed, regardless of what others thought of them.”

END

NOTES FOR EDITORS
For further information or quotes from City Sikhs or Param Singh, please email info@www.citysikhs.com