Flower Lane capped off a very busy diary of festive events by giving a special contribution award to a very surprised volunteer.
Manjula Morar has been providing a wonderful Diwali celebration, complete with an Indian banquet and live-music entertainment, every year for the past three years – funded completely from her own pocket.
In November, Manjula Morar won Contribution to the Service at The Barnet Group Customer Awards, but was unable to attend.
While volunteering at the annual Flower Lane Christmas lunch in December, Manjula got a big surprise when she was presented with her award by Trudi Kleanthous, Director of Corporate Services for The Barnet Group.
Manjula said: “When my husband and mum passed away a few years ago, I found myself with a lot of spare time on my hands. At the Aspire swimming pool, I regularly meet some of the friendly staff and service users there. I got talking to Jyotsna and the others and decided I wanted to do something to help in memory of my husband and mum.”
“So I started off by providing a Diwali lunch and music for Flower Lane every year from 2013 – it’s the least I can do to help people. A friend said to me there are 7 days in a week – there is no harm in doing what you can to help other people for more than one day a week.”
Manjula also keeps busy by volunteering at the Citizen Advice Bureau in Harrow on Tuesdays and will commence volunteering at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital from mid-January. She says: “Volunteering keeps me busy and I get to meet lovely people like the ones I have met here at Flower Lane. My husband also did a lot of volunteering before he passed away. I know he and mum would be very proud and so are my family. I want to give something back to the community and the reward was unexpected.”
Manjula is pictured above with Minaxi Mankad, a support worker at Flower Lane.
Tamara Wright