A Family Affair: Bake to back Covid-19 heroes extends to Fathers’ Day

The Skipping Sikh’s wife and daughter, Pritpal and Min Kaur, have been spending the last weeks of lockdown delivering treats to unsung Covid-19 heroes.

The pair launched a 13-day challenge where they surprised supermarket employees, Transport for London (TfL) staff and elderly neighbours with homemade cakes to thank them for their contribution over the last few months. Min’s father made global headlines with his skipping fundraiser for the National Health Service (NHS) and soon the mission to give back turned into a family affair.

Min Kaur tells ‘iGlobal’: “We wanted to do something special for those unsung heroes who have been doing amazing things throughout the pandemic, to show our support and solidarity. My mum has baked over 30 cakes and she has loved it. It was so nice to work together as a team and build memories!”

As a special treat for Fathers’ Day over the weekend, Min posted on the “RecommendAsian” Facebook group in search of bespoke eggless cakes. In support of Min’s goodwill throughout lockdown, six local bakers responded offering their services.

Bakers Herprit Kaur Plahe from Preeti Yummy Cakes, Davinder Gill from Flour Bowl Cakes, Rima Kansara from Full of Sugar, Venu Sood from Cakes 4 U London, Mona Singh from  Sugar and Whisk and Rupi Matharu-Virdee from Rupi’s Cakery all pulled through to deliver and donate tailor-made “Skipping Sikh” cakes for the good cause.

“I’m so grateful to these lovely ladies who are doing so much sewa and did this for my dad for Fathers’ Day. My thanks are to everyone who has donated and supported. My dad is truly humbled by this,” said Min.

Her generous campaign started as a way to support community faith groups who couldn’t celebrate religious festivals like Vaisakhi and Eid during lockdown. The family settled on 13 days of giving because the number 13 is auspicious in the Sikh faith and Min’s father, Rajinder “Skipping Sikh” Singh, is also raising £13,000 for the NHS with his fitness initiatives.

“The love we have received is so heart-warming. It’s nice to hear people calling my dad a celebrity when to him, he’s nothing. His love is his Gurbani and his faith is everything to him. After lockdown I look forward to inviting you all to a Sukhmani Sahib Paath where we can all sit, pray and eat together. Stay blessed and in chardi kala.”

by Vidhu Sharma

*Info: Skipping Sikh and his family’s efforts throughout the lockdown can be found here