This weekend I had the pleasure of joining thousands of others at the Swindon Mela. It was great to see so many local residents from such different back grounds come together to enjoy the varied entertainment on offer, not to mention the mouth watering food! I had the privilege of meeting some fantastic people including several ex-Ghurkhas who had fought bravely for this country in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a number of locals who organise groups which do vital work supporting some of our most vulnerable and excluded groups. As an English born Asian, it was a great feeling to see so many people come together and the fact that it afforded me with an opportunity to wear my first turban made it all the better! The day really underlined the sense of community cohesion that exists in the Swindon, and although there is still more work to do, it shows how we can be proud of our town.

This weeks (admittedly gaffe strewn) visit by the Prime Minister to Southern Asia really highlighted the growing importance of the area in global terms and events like the Mela go a long way to underpin the spirit of understanding and co-operation that exists between ourselves and the countries in the region. At a time of large cuts in Local Authority spending, Local Councils need to remember the value of events like these for bringing the community together.

Victor Agarwal

Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate for North Swindon, May 2010

Caption: Victor Agarwal with Jas Grewal, Trustee of the Swindon Gurdwara