Lohana Community North London celebrates International Women’s Day
By Mahesh LiloriyaMar 11, 2025
The Lohana Community North London (LCNL) and Young Lohana Society (YLS) marked International Women’s Day with an inspiring event on Sunday, 9th March 2025, at The Dhamecha Hall. Bringing together members of the community, the evening celebrated women’s achievements while advocating for progress and equality.
The event was attended by the High Commissioner of Uganda to the UK, H.E. Nimisha J Madhvani, as the special guest.
Centred around the theme Dignity, Purity, and Hope, the programme featured keynote addresses from Jay Rughani, Kamel Hothi OBE, and Pooja Naidu, each highlighting the importance of unity and support in empowering women. A key highlight was a panel discussion, moderated by Chandni Palan, with speakers Ketan Dattani, Roshni Thakrar, Amit Sodha, Sarita Thakrar, and Prisha Bathia. Their insights and personal experiences resonated with the audience, sparking discussions on breaking barriers and driving change.
LCNL President Meena Jasani opened the event, while event convenor Jayshree Rughani and YLS Chairperson Tulsi Tanna shared their perspectives.
As the event concluded, attendees left inspired to continue championing women’s empowerment, reaffirming the community’s commitment to a more inclusive and equitable future.
THE GOVERNMENT will reinstate winter fuel payments to millions of pensioners this year, reversing an earlier decision that had removed the benefit for most recipients in England and Wales. The move comes after months of criticism and political pressure on prime minister Keir Starmer.
After taking office in July, Starmer's Labour government had removed the winter fuel payments for all but the poorest pensioners as part of broader spending cuts.
The government said at the time that the cuts were necessary to address a gap in the public finances created by the previous Conservative administration.
Means-testing remains for wealthier pensioners
On Monday, the government announced it would restore the payments to 9 million pensioners. Only about 2 million people earning above £35,000 will remain excluded from the £200–£300 heating subsidy during the winter months.
The initial decision had faced opposition from dozens of Labour MPs and was seen as a factor in the party’s recent electoral setbacks, including gains made by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party in local elections. Reform UK also leads in national opinion polls.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the decision to exclude wealthier pensioners still stands and defended the initial cuts.
“Because of those decisions, our public finances are now in a better position, which means that this year we're able to pay the winter fuel payment to more pensioners,” she said.
Treasury costings and political fallout
The Treasury said the reversal would cost £1.25 billion, while means-testing the benefit would still result in savings of about £450 million. It added that the move would not lead to permanent additional borrowing and that funding plans would be set out in a budget later this year.
Speaking at a press conference in Wales, Farage claimed credit for the U-turn.
“The Labour government are in absolute state of blind panic, they are not quite sure what to do,” he said. “Reform are leading now much of their agenda.”
Starmer had indicated last month that he would reverse the cuts.
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the earlier policy change had resulted in around 85 per cent of pensioner households losing access to the benefit.
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The Conservative leader said she asks people to remove face coverings—whether burqas or balaclavas—when they attend her surgeries. (Photo: Getty Images)
KEMI BADENOCH has said she will not speak to women wearing burqas or other face coverings at her constituency surgery.
In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, the Conservative leader said she asks people to remove face coverings—whether burqas or balaclavas—when they attend her surgeries.
Badenoch also said employers should have the right to ban staff from wearing burqas, stating, “Organisations should be able to decide what their staff wear.”
She said, “If you come into my constituency surgery, you have to remove your face covering. I’m not talking to people who are not going to show me their face.” She added, “There’s a whole heap of stuff that is far more insidious... things like first-cousin marriage… My view is that people should be allowed to wear whatever they want, not what their husband is asking them to wear or what their community says that they should wear.”
Afzal Khan, Labour MP and vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims, criticised the remarks. He said: “Trying to outflank Reform UK on immigration or culture wars... erodes trust in politics itself.”
The issue was raised after Reform MP Sarah Pochin questioned Keir Starmer about banning the burqa. Nigel Farage has also called for a debate.
Zia Yusuf, chair of Reform, resigned over the issue but has since returned. He told The Sunday Times he might vote for a ban but said other issues were more urgent.
Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, said he had spoken to women in burqas in the past.
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Mayor Richard Chatterjee joins locals in celebrating compassion and culture at Croydon's vegan picnic
A sunny Sunday afternoon turned into a celebration of kindness, flavour, and connection as Croydon's Lloyd Park played host to a vibrant vegan picnic on 8 June. Marking The Big Lunch, a UK-wide community initiative, local vegetarians and vegans gathered with loved ones for a day of delicious food, music, and togetherness.
Plant-based plates with a powerful message
Tables brimmed with a colourful spread of plant-based dishes, proof that vegan food lacks neither taste nor variety. But this picnic wasn’t just about food. It served as a gentle reminder that compassion can be a lifestyle choice. Veganism, rooted in the idea of reducing harm to animals, is growing steadily in the UK, not only for ethical reasons but also for its potential health benefits.
Families and friends share plant-based meals and music under the summer sun
The event was graced by the Worshipful Mayor of Croydon, Richard Chatterjee, and his wife Angelena. Councillor Manjul Hammeed also joined the gathering, lending civic support to the growing movement. Local faith institutions, including Coulsdon Hindu Mandir and Thornton Heath Durga Mandir, extended their support, underlining the event’s inclusive, multicultural spirit.
Mayor Richard Chatterjee joins Croydon's growing plant-based community at the weekend event
The Big Lunch, a UK tradition of togetherness
This celebration was part of The Big Lunch, a grassroots movement launched by the Eden Project in 2009. Backed by The National Lottery Community Fund, the idea is simple: get neighbours to connect over food and laughter. Over the years, The Big Lunch has become a calendar highlight in many communities across the UK, creating friendships and reminding people that building bonds can start with a shared meal.
Mayor Richard Chatterjee and many local faith groups support the inclusive vegan gathering
As the plates emptied, music and dance filled the park. Laughter, conversation, and rhythm took over, capturing the very spirit the Eden Project set out to nurture, community.
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Yusuf, who resigned as Reform chairman last week before returning two days later, said he wanted to be 'crystal clear' on the party’s stance. (Photo: Getty Images)
ZIA YUSUF has said that Reform UK would deport every illegal immigrant in Britain if the party came to power.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Yusuf stated, “We will deport everybody who is here in this country illegally, which is roughly about 1.2 million people.”
Yusuf, who resigned as Reform chairman last week before returning two days later, said he wanted to be “crystal clear” on the party’s stance.
Addressing recent criticisms within the party, he added, “I am Muslim. I don’t therefore think that Islam is a ‘threat to the country’,” but said “resentment” was building due to “two-tier policing.”
He said Islamist terrorism remained a major concern for intelligence agencies and pointed to issues of assimilation. Yusuf described his resignation as a result of “exhaustion” and regretted a tweet criticising new MP Sarah Pochin’s comments on a burqa ban.
Nigel Farage is expected to present Yusuf as a potential cabinet minister while also pledging to reopen some coal mines in south Wales.
Richard Tice, Reform deputy, said Yusuf had faced “horrendous online abuse” and added the party was reorganising to manage growth. Nick Candy will take over Yusuf’s former responsibilities.
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The teenager was walking along Staniforth Road in the Darnall area on Wednesday when a grey Audi reportedly hit an electric bike rider before striking Abdullah. (Photo credit: South Yorkshire Police)
TWO men have been charged with murder and three counts of attempted murder after the death of a 16-year-old boy in an alleged hit-and-run in Sheffield.
Zulkernain Ahmed, 20, and Amaan Ahmed, 26, both from Locke Drive, have been charged over the death of Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Al Yazidi, according to South Yorkshire Police.
The teenager was walking along Staniforth Road in the Darnall area on Wednesday when a grey Audi reportedly hit an electric bike rider before striking Abdullah. He later died in hospital.
An 18-year-old man on the bike was seriously injured but is not believed to be in a life-threatening condition.
The two men are due to appear at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on Monday. A 46-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender remain on bail.
Abdullah had recently arrived in the UK from Yemen and was preparing to start college. Family and friends said he was devoted to his family and had been learning English.
Darnall councillor Qais Al-Ahdal said, “We’ve really lost someone who is good in the community… May God have mercy on his soul.”