More than 800 people from the Hindu community at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London, 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 through north-west London – including the perimeter of Wembley Stadium, around Gibbons Recreation Grounds, or King Edward VII 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 the local community, 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.
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.
The day ended with fun games and activities for the whole family.
Anjali Patel, one of the participants, shared, “What a great day out for my two daughters and us! It was the ideal way to enjoy the lovely weather and raise money for the amazing work that Children With Cancer UK is doing.”
A number of local dignitaries also joined the participants, including Cllr Anjana Patel (Mayor of Harrow), Krupesh Hirani (London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow), Cllr Muhammed Butt (Leader of Brent Council), Cllr Krupa Sheth, Cllr Rita Begum, as well as leading representatives from Children With Cancer UK, including Izzy Skelly (Community Fundraising Coordinator).
After the opening ceremony, Ms Skelly shared her impressions of the event and the partnerships with BAPS: “It’s amazing seeing so many different types of people here today. Childhood cancer affects everyone, regardless of the type of community that you are in. It is important to have those conversations in our communities. I feel BAPS has shown us today how strong a sense of community they have – and that’s one of our main values at Children With Cancer UK. Today has exceeded my expectations! Everyone has been so wonderful and the temple itself is so beautiful.”
Jay Patel, a leading volunteer at the Mandir, 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 community a better place to live, work, and thrive, and to also support the outstanding work of Children With Cancer UK.”