THE MAYOR of Reading is set to launch a new community project to celebrate a community centre’s 40th anniversary.
The Indian Community Centre is celebrating four decades of bringing support to then town’s Indian community.
To mark the milestone, they are launching a new project to support elderly residents with more activities through its Elderly Luncheon events.
It provides health and wellbeing classes, exercise sessions, yoga and pilates, as well as workshops to help combat diabetes and unhealthy diets, and gaming sessions with board games, playing cards, and even trips away.
It also provides a freshly-prepared, healthy lunch and hot drinks.
The news follows the provision of funding for the service from a National Lottery grant, which organisers said was a “lifeline” for the EK SAATH (which means Community Together) programme.
The ICC itself was established in 1984 when a number of organisations came together under the umbrella of the Indian Community Centre.
They created their own centre which is now open to all communities.
Harish Raichura, Chairman of the ICC said: “given the funding pressure on voluntary sector in recent years, this five year project funding will give us much needed support to increase activities for a long term sustained growth to our pre-Covid level services.”
The Mayor of Reading, Cllr Tony Page said: “I have been working with various community leaders of the ICC throughout my five decades as a member of Reading Council.
“I am delighted to launch this project, which is a positive result of continuous hard working of active volunteers for the benefit of the local community.”
