UK Punjabi diaspora rallies behind flood-hit Punjab with grassroots initiatives

Britain’s Punjabi community is launching a new wave of grassroots initiatives to support flood-hit Punjab, with campaigns ranging from online fundraising to symbolic acts of solidarity.

UNITED SIKHS (UK) confirmed that their JustGiving campaign for “Punjab Flood Relief 2025” has now raised more than GBP 32,000 (Rs 30.4 lakh). In a note posted on their fundraising page, the charity said it is “considering adopting a village for ongoing support that will be required for the months ahead”.

Another initiative has emerged from the north of England. The Manchester Punjabi Society has launched a GoFundMe drive under the banner “Global Sikhs – Support Flood Relief in Punjab”, pledging to channel donations through Global Sikhs. Although the amount collected so far is modest, organisers say it reflects a growing groundswell of support from students and young professionals who want to play their part.

Meanwhile, Khalsa Aid (UK) has announced “One Step SEVA”, a fundraising walk and virtual event designed to bring together diaspora supporters in Britain and abroad. On its website, the charity described the effort as “a symbolic collective action to help rebuild Punjab after the devastation of this year’s floods”.

In the West Midlands, Midland Langar Seva Society, based in Walsall, has flown volunteers to Punjab to deliver emergency supplies of food, clean water and medicines to some of the worst-hit villages. Community leaders say the response from local residents has been overwhelming, with donations continuing to pour in from towns and gurdwaras across Birmingham and the surrounding area.

These latest efforts add to the already substantial mobilisation by Britain’s Punjabi diaspora. From gurdwaras collecting cash donations to Bhangra musicians staging the forthcoming Birmingham concert for Punjab Flood Aid, the community has shown both creativity and urgency in responding to what the Guardian has described as Punjab’s “worst floods in three decades”. Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick has launched a dedicated appeal, while the Guru Ravidass Gurdwara in Gravesend has collected GBP 10,604 (Rs 10.8 lakh) to support relief operations.

UK political voices have also joined in. Slough MP Tan Dhesi urged governments to provide urgent relief “now and in future”. Birmingham MP Preet Kaur Gill said, “As the daughter of farmers, my heart is heavy seeing the devastation.”

The focus now is on sustaining support beyond the immediate emergency. As UNITED SIKHS noted in its JustGiving update, “the scale of need is such that long-term rehabilitation will be required”.

With volunteers flying out from Walsall, MPs raising the alarm in Parliament, and young Punjabis in Manchester pooling donations online, the momentum in Britain shows no signs of slowing. What began as emergency relief is evolving into a wider commitment: the UK Punjabi diaspora is stepping up not just to aid recovery, but to help shape Punjab’s long-term rebuilding after its worst floods in a generation.