Harley Grove Temple says thanks to street after blaze tragedy in Bow
The Gander family enjoy food at street party thrown by Harley Grove Sikh Temple - Credit: Archant
The Sikh community gave a big ‘thank you’ to the people of London’s East End with a street party ahead of reopening their temple that was destroyed by a suspicious blaze four years ago.
The Gander family enjoy food at street party thrown by Harley Grove Sikh Temple - Credit: Archant
They held the party on the green opposite the Harley Grove Gurdwara in Bow on Sunday, after 600 invitations went out to the families in the area.
Reader Wenton Moore snaps Temple blaze in Harley Grove, March 2009 - Credit: Archant
Food and soft drinks were laid on free and there was activity for kids including two bouncy castles, games, balloon modelling and face painting.
Reader Wenton Moore snaps Temple blaze in Harley Grove, March 2009 - Credit: Archant
“The party was to show our appreciation to all the neighbours for their support over last four years,” said organiser Jagmohan Singh.
“The fire was a tragedy—but since then we’ve done up the building and it’s ready to reopen next Sunday.”
You may also want to watch:
Arson was suspected when the temple, built originally as a Congregational church that later became the Harley Street Synagogue which closed in the 1970s, was gutted by fire on March 16, 2009.
A police investigation was launched after fire investigators declared it suspicious.
Most Read
- 1 Man killed after fall from Bow tower block
- 2 14 charged with alleged drug dealing and money laundering offences
- 3 19 arrested and cash seized in East End dawn drug raids
- 4 Panel finds gross misconduct proven against Pc arrested on suspicion of drug dealing
- 5 Revealed: The most popular baby names in your area in 2020
- 6 Road and rail round-up: Disruptions to travel in east London this week
- 7 Why some families can't leave Bow's 'dangerous structure' tower block
- 8 Prison sentence increased for 'violent and dangerous' man
- 9 Police called as furious families told to quit Bow's 'dangerous' block
- 10 Tower hamlets killing: £20,000 reward offered as two men sought for queries
The blaze destroyed the community’s 14 Saroops, the Sikh’s holy books. Some scriptures were rescued and taken to a temple in Ilford for safe-keeping.
Services had to be held in makeshift tents on the green, then temporarily at the nearby Central Foundation School.
Plumbers and builders in the neighbourhood rallied to the congregation and volunteered to help rebuild the temple.
