Five years after HRH The Prince of Wales launched The British Asian Trust at Windsor Castle, supporters celebrated its inspiring progress at dinner there on 13 February.
HRH The Prince of Wales praised the efforts of donors, partners and celebrities for their role in helping the Trust to transform the lives of more than 350,000 poor people across South Asia through education, health and livelihood initiatives.
“What has been incredibly heartening, if I may say so, is the way that communities in this country have come together to support the work of my British Asian Trust,” the Prince said. “The generous support of everyone in this room - and the wider communities you represent - is making a real difference to the lives of disadvantaged communities right across South Asia. In all cases, what we are trying to do is the proverbial ‘hands up’ rather than a ‘hand out’,” he said.
“I can only think the way in which the whole idea has taken off – to my delight – reflects not only the marvellous generosity of so many of you, but also the deep historic links between the people of this country and South Asia,” the Prince said. Read the entire speech here.
British Asian Trust celebrity Ambassadors including comedian Nitin Ganatra, news presenters Tasmin Lucia Khan and Ritula Shah, musician Navin Kundra, and actors Laila Rouass and Ray Panthaki, were on hand to salute the Trust’s success.
EastEnders star Nitin Ganatra (above) said British Asians like to contribute to their mother countries. “There is a strong connection to homelands,” he said. “The Trust facilitates an avenue in which we can help.”
Celebrated singer-songwriter Navin Kundra said HRH The Prince of Wales “made us feel proud of our work at The British Asian Trust.”
A £1 million grant from international mobile operator Lycamobile for work in education and employment in Sri Lanka was announced by HRH The Prince of Wales during the gala dinner. “This generosity will make an enormous difference to our ability to assist the most disadvantaged in meaningful, practical ways,” the Prince said.
Trust Chairman Manoj Badale said the Trust’s model of supporting local grass roots charities with financial and human resources to scale their impact’ is paying off. “We want and need to do more,” he said.
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