During the past year Gurseva has firmly established itself as an expanding community group of volunteers committed to recycling resources. The Project has mainly been operating in London with the assistance of the local community.

Gurseva’s prime objective is to enable volunteering within the community. It does this through:

1. Increasing the awareness of differing communities, the culture of the sub- continent and the concept of Seva (voluntary service).

2. Educating all communities and fellow people about the philosophy of goodwill to all (Sarbatt da Bhalla).

Currently Gurseva volunteers recycle and distribute surplus food and clothing from community centres to charities and the needy. This activity is also targeted at charities that distribute resources to the economically disenfranchised both in the UK and internationally, and is done on a weekly basis using a pool of resources.

It has been explained that Sikhs must respect all people. They may appear different because of their language, colour, figure, social habits but these variations are superficial and the result of different cultures and climates in which one is born and reared. Internally, we all have the same spirit. Just as gold can be made into ornaments of different designs but it remains gold, so people's outward appearance can be different but still they remain human beings created by the same God.

gurseva's services

Currently Gurseva delivers langar to refugees and others who are in need.

We take cooked and dry food to the streets of the capital from both East and West London for the homeless.

We work with the One Stop Centre in Brixton to deliver food and clothing to refugees there.

Gurseva also works with children's camps in the Summer holidays to provide volunteers, resources, food and teachers.

Gurseva acts as a volunteer gateway to encourage serving the community as well as developing innovative projects that will benefit those that give their time.

Recently we organised a series of skill development workshops for the youth called Skills 4 Life.

Service

Seva or service as active help to fellow beings occupies a central place in the social ethics of Sikhs. The spirit of service creates love and affection for all, and teaches humility. It makes man forget his social status so that he no longer thinks in terms of high or low, rich or poor. It helps man overcome his Ego (Haumei). Seva is an essential part of this philosophy, and applies to all aspects of life for a Sikh. A real Sikh is one who, besides doing other duties, meditates on God and performs service for the welfare of humanity.

This belief in the oneness of humanity, and the insistence on working for the welfare of all people regardless of background, even at the cost of sacrificing one's life, is a very important principle: the best way to serve, is to serve all creation equally. We should treat all people with equal care and respect, everyone should be equally welcome in community centres, events etc, regardless of religion, caste or nationality. This oneness of humanity invites us to believe we should have no ill will against any person, not even against those who think of them as their enemy. There are numerous examples of Sikhs helping an enemy in need. Bhai Kanahya, a water-carrier of Guru Gobind Singhat Anandpur Sahib, used to give water and first aid to all wounded persons, Sikh and non-Sikh alike. It will be interesting for the Red Cross organisations to know that three centuries ago Guru Gobind Singh made arrangements to take care of and help all the wounded in a battle, both his own men and his opponents.