Gurdwara revamp a 'labour of love'

A gurdwara has been celebrating a major transformation described as a "labour of love" which has been funded by its congregation.

Officials at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, on Sedgley Street in Wolverhampton, said thousands of people attended an event on Sunday to mark the refurbishments to the buildings and its surrounds.

The place of worship was founded in 1969 and has welcomed multiple generations of families over the decades since.

President Jaspal Singh Nijjar said the works honoured those who built the community and offered "something extraordinary to the generations still to come".

About 10,000 people attend the gurdwara each week, which also acts as a meeting place and conference centre.

In addition, about 800 children go to it weekend Punjabi school.

The renovations began in a prayer hall often used for wedding ceremonies, and new classroom facilities and improved lighting and accessibility, including a lift, have also been added.

The main Darbar Sahib prayer hall also went through a major change, along with a new arrival hall and entrance gates, which have been added by the gurdwara's main doors.

British Sikh artists were invited to create pieces and murals marking significant moments in their faith's history.

Newly commissioned statues outside the building were also unveiled.

Much of the building had been untouched for about a decade, its management committee said.

Singh Nijar added: "Our ambition was simple but bold: to create one of the finest gurdwaras anywhere, here in Wolverhampton.

"Every detail reflects the compassion of the Sikh community and the values of our faith. This has been a labour of love, made possible entirely by the generosity of our local community."

The day's events began at 10:30 BST with a procession of the congregation, followed by the formal opening of the main prayer hall and devotional singing.

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