Slough councillors back Sai Seva in search for community hub

Councillors supported a charity that wants to find a home for a ‘thriving community hub’ but warned that volunteers might face competition from developers who have ‘deeper pockets’.

Sai Seva UK launched in Slough in 2011 and is now run completely by volunteers.

The charity carries out vital work in the borough including packaging home-cooked meals for vulnerable residents, collaborating with Thames Valley Police on projects and supporting Slough Children’s First to promote foster care in the community.

But the charity, currently running its events from Langley College, does not have the space to expand and grow, so volunteers started a petition asking Slough Borough Council for help.

More than 2,000 signatures have been gathered since the petition was launched in September.

Since then, representatives from Sai Seva have visited council-owned properties that could be turned into a community hub by transferring the asset to the charity.

At a full council meeting on Thursday (January 29), Aniket Singhal, who has been volunteering with Sai Seva since he was young, told councillors he was ‘incredibly grateful’ for the support from the council so far.

Mr Singhal said: “At the time, I didn’t think about charities, policies, buildings. I just saw people helping people.

“That stays with you, it gives you a sense of belonging.”

He added the charity does not have a space to ‘continue the work’ it is doing.

“It’s about giving the community a stable place to continue good work,” he said.

“It’s about allowing other younger volunteers to get involved. It’s about allowing elders to fill a place where they’re respected, where they’re welcome, where they feel connected.”

Councillors said supporting the petition was the ‘responsible thing’ to do but recognised that the charity might face some challenges.

Councillor Dhruv Tomar (Con, Slough Central) said: “We know the council is under immense financial pressure.

“We also know that volunteer-led organisations can find themselves competing with developers who have deeper pockets and very different intentions [with] these assets.

“Supporting this petition does not mean ignoring financial responsibility. It means balancing it with social value, prevention and long-term community benefits.”

Cllr Mark Instone (Lab, Langley Foxborough) agreed and said the council ‘can’t afford’ not to support this initiative.

“If young people want to do something that is selfless and for the good of Slough, that, even more so than buildings and architecture, is what builds a town,” he said.

“I would absolutely urge the leader of the council and all councillors here tonight to do everything they can in their power to make this work.”

Councillor Dexter Smith (Con, Colnbrook and Poyle) recognised that the work Sai Seva carries out is ‘no small achievement’.

He encouraged the charity to work with officers to put forward a business case for a potential asset transfer.

Cllr Smith said: “I can reassure petitioners [that] the door is open to them.”