More than 90 people from the Hindu community at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Leeds came together to participate in the BAPS 10K Charity Challenge on Sunday 8 June 2025.
The participants – from toddlers through to senior citizens – walked, jogged or ran 10 kilometres around Temple Newsham Park in a fun-filled family and community event that raised vital funds for various good causes.
The annual Charity Challenge is a nationwide effort that brings together more than 3,000 enthusiastic participants at around 20 towns and cities across the country, offering a fun and healthy way to raise money for various local and national charities.
The funds will support BAPS’s multifarious educational, community, and spiritual activities in, which serve children, youths, families, and the elderly.
The 2025 Challenge will also support BAPS’s national charity partner, Children with Cancer UK, which is the country’s leading childhood cancer charity aiming to help every child and young person survive cancer by funding life-saving research and supporting patients and their families through treatment and beyond.
Lord Mayor of Leeds councillor Dan Cohen was present at the opening ceremony. In a short address before the walk began, thanked BAPS for its continuing efforts in serving the wider community, saying, “Your generous support will bring a smile to Leeds Mencap to supporting children and young people with learning disabilities, autism and other complex needs, and their families and carers
The participants also raised funds for Leeds Mencap which is an independent, local charity supporting children and young people with learning disabilities, autism and other complex needs, and their families and carers.
Previous national partners for BAPS and BAPS Charities have included Age UK, the Alzheimer’s Society, the Anthony Nolan Trust, Barnardo’s, Breast Cancer Care, the British Heart Foundation, Carers UK, Diabetes UK, KIDS, Macmillan Cancer Support, and the NSPCC. Locally, in West Yorkshire, the Challenge has helped, Saint Gemma’s hospice, Leeds St George’s crypt and Yorkshire Kidney research in recent years.
The day ended with fun games and activities for the whole family.
Bhavesh Patel, one of the participants, shared, “It was such a lovely day out for my children and us. And the best thing was that we could raise vital funds for all these charities that do such amazing work in our local community here!”.
Girish Sonigra, a leading volunteer at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Leeds, added, “The annual Charity Challenge is inspired by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, who teaches us to serve everyone in the community, regardless of faith or background, as a part of our moral and spiritual duty. We are grateful for this opportunity to come together – young and old – to support one another and make our town a better place to live, work, and thrive.”