Diwali Hamper Initiative Aids Vulnerable Families in Leicester

In Leicester, volunteers have distributed hundreds of food hampers to vulnerable families as part of an annual effort coinciding with Diwali. The Diwali Basket Brigade project, established in 2018, has since provided sustenance to 57,000 individuals nationwide. Within Leicester, the team collaborates with six charities to facilitate hamper distribution. Vina Parekh, the project’s leader in Leicester, indicated that each hamper contains approximately 15 meals’ worth of food, sufficient to feed a family of four. The baskets are filled with non-perishable items such as pasta, cereal, and rice, along with other goods like chocolate and toothpaste. They also include Diwali cards, which are handmade by children in India before being shipped to the UK. According to Ms. Parekh, this element makes the project “wholesome as possible” by contributing to the children’s education in their home country. Ms. Parekh added that the initiative is driven by the spirit of Diwali, which encompasses bringing hope and mutual assistance. She stated: “The feedback we’ve have from previous years is how well they’ve been received… that somebody, somewhere, is thinking of them, and wanting to help and support them.“We want these recipients to feel included as part of all faiths and communities.” The most recent hampers were assembled by more than 80 volunteers on October 27 at the Darji Community Centre in Vicarage Lane. The group prepared 550 hampers. These were then provided to the Diwali Basket Brigade’s six partners for distribution, including food banks, support services, and community centres. Lesley Green, chair of Oadby Foodbank, one of the partner organizations, described the project as “amazing” in its capacity to assist those struggling financially. Oadby Foodbank has partnered with the Diwali Basket Brigade for two years, receiving diverse hampers to accommodate various dietary needs. Ms. Green further commented: “They’ve done anything we asked them to do. Simple things like that make it a lot easier for us.”