A SIKH pensioner who was honoured by the Queen for motivating people to stay fit during the pandemic lockdown is seen chatting to the Duchess of Cambridge in the royal box at centre court in Wimbledon on Friday (2).
Rajinder Singh or the 'Skipping Sikh', as he is popularly known, was recognised with an MBE for services to health and fitness in the Queen’s birthday honours list in June.
Invited to the prestigious royal box on day five of Wimbledon, the Skipping Sikh told Eastern Eye, “I’m truly honoured and very humbled to have met the Duke of Kent and the HRH Kate Middleton (sic) who was sat in the row in front of me in the Royal Box at Wimbledon today.
“She looked back and smiled and congratulated me on my efforts this last year in helping people to stay active in the lockdown. I said, ‘Thank you and it’s all your blessings, God bless you and your family, you’re like a daughter to me and I’m proud of your work.’"
Singh said he was a big fan of Andy Murray, who lost to Canada's Denis Shapovalov in the third round on Friday evening.
Singh added: “It has been a very special day and I’ve felt so welcome along with meeting other inspiring people like Mr Motivator and (fitness coach) Joe Wicks who was sat near me.
"I love tennis and [I am] a big fan of Andy Murray. I am grateful to God that I could do something for the country.
"I thoroughly enjoyed myself and my daughter Minreet Kaur and I will never forget this amazing experience."
Singh, 74, starred in exercise videos that went viral during lockdown, after he became concerned that some members of the Sikh community were feeling isolated as gurdwaras were closed in the initial lockdown.
His exercise videos proved a hit on social media and helped raise more than £14,000 for NHS charities. Singh said exercise could have a positive impact on those who might be struggling throughout lockdown.
“I hope that I can help people, give them good health and give them knowledge to keep fit and strong,” he told Eastern Eye previously. He also hoped he could motivate other elderly people to get fit, practise skipping or any other workouts.
“(Besides Sikhs), I understand it’s difficult for all of us – people from all faiths and from all parts of the country,” he said. “I hope I can do something for them”.
Singh, from Hillingdon, west London, who has taken part in approximately 25 marathons, has always been active and interested in fitness. He learned from his father, a soldier, and was taught how to skip from an early age. Now, he tries to exercise four or five times a day. In light of the lockdown measures, he works out in his allotment, garden or home.
Wimbledon this year has invited individuals who have played a big part in combating the coronavirus to watch the action at this year's championships seated in the royal box.
Spectators on Monday (28) paid tribute to Sarah Gilbert, the Oxford University professor who co-designed the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, with a standing ovation on Centre Court before play began in the annual grand slam.
Also in the royal box on Monday was Hannah Ingram-Moore, the daughter of late Captain Tom Moore, who struck a chord with locked-down Britain by walking around his garden with the help of a frame to raise millions of pounds for NHS workers.
UK life sciences sector contributed £17.6bn GVA in 2021 and supports 126,000 high-skilled jobs.
Inward life sciences FDI fell by 58 per cent from £1,897m in 2021 to £795m in 2023.
Experts warn NHS underinvestment and NICE pricing rules are deterring innovation and patient access.
Investment gap
Britain is seeking to attract new pharmaceutical investment as part of its plan to strengthen the life sciences sector, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during meetings in Washington this week. “We do need to make sure that we are an attractive place for pharmaceuticals, and that includes on pricing, but in return for that, we want to see more investment flow to Britain,” Reeves told reporters.
Recent ABPI report, ‘Creating the conditions for investment and growth’, The UK’s pharmaceutical industry is integral to both the country’s health and growth missions, contributing £17.6 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) annually and supporting 126,000 high-skilled jobs across the nation. It also invests more in research and development (R&D) than any other sector. Yet inward life sciences foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 58per cent, from £1,897 million in 2021 to £795 million in 2023, while pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK lagged behind global growth trends, costing an estimated £1.3 billion in lost investment in 2023 alone.
Richard Torbett, ABPI Chief Executive, noted “The UK can lead globally in medicines and vaccines, unlocking billions in R&D investment and improving patient access but only if barriers are removed and innovation rewarded.”
The UK invests just 9% of healthcare spending in medicines, compared with 17% in Spain, and only 37% of new medicines are made fully available for their licensed indications, compared to 90% in Germany.
Expert reviews
Shailesh Solanki, executive editor of Pharmacy Business, pointed that “The government’s own review shows the sector is underfunded by about £2 billion per year. To make transformation a reality, this gap must be closed with clear plans for investment in people, premises and technology.”
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold £20,000 to £30,000 per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) — has remained unchanged for over two decades, delaying or deterring new medicine launches. Raising it is viewed as vital to attracting foreign investment, expanding patient access, and maintaining the UK’s global standing in life sciences.
Guy Oliver, General Manager for Bristol Myers Squibb UK and Ireland, noted that " the current VPAG rate is leaving UK patients behind other countries, forcing cuts to NHS partnerships, clinical trials, and workforce despite government growth ambitions".
Reeves’ push for reform, supported by the ABPI’s Competitiveness Framework, underlines Britain’s intent to stay a leading hub for pharmaceutical innovation while ensuring NHS patients will gain faster access to new treatments.
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