On Wednesday morning, a ceremony was held in Norwood Green park to dedicate a memorial bench in memory of Sardar Shivcharn Singh Gill.

Attending the ceremony was Ealing Southall MP Virendra Sharma, GLA member Dr Onkar Sahota, The Mayor of Ealing Councillor Mohinder Kaur Midha.

Also present were Councillor Ranjit Dheer, Councillor John Martin, Councillor Kanwal Kaur Bains, Harsev Bains of the Indian Workers Association (GB) and other invited guests.

Shivcharn was a teacher, writer, journalist, poet and Councillor for the Labour Party in 2008.

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He was a teacher from 1972 to 1996. He taught Punjabi and Urdu at Villiers High School in Southall. He used to live on Oswald Road.

He went on to serve the community as a Councillor in Hounslow for the Labour Party in 2008.

Some of his loftier achievements are:

• The Punjabi Literary Society Award in 2002
• The Parliamentary Cultural Award in 2008
• The Cambridge Certificate for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching in 2013

In retirement he continued to promote the Punjabi language and culture in England. He remained an active member of society and co-founded the Akaal Community Group.

Shivcharn Singh Gill was born on 6th March 1937 in Ludhiana (Rumi, India) to Shaam Kaur and Ajaib Singh Gill. In 1964, like many of his compatriots, he moved to England in search of a better life. With confidence, he grasped the opportunities that came his way and his life was full of great success.

On his 80th Birthday he happily declared “I am proud of my children, grandchildren and everything they have achieved. I've lived the happiest life. I have no complaints.”

He died in in July 2017. The sheer numbers that came to pay their respects speak volumes of the legacyof Sardar Shivcharn Singh Gill. He was a cornerstone the Sikh Community both here and in India.

People were present to celebrate the life of a happy, wise, diligent and fiercely independent man that they had the privilege of knowing.

More photos of the event can be found on the Facebook page

A memorial bench in a park is caring way to remember a loved one. It will stand as a reminder of their life for many years to come. It serves as a space for family and friends to reflect on happy times spent together.

The memorial bench can a have a plaque in dedication. The cost of a memorial bench with a plaque costs over a thousand pounds.