Launch

■ About The Launch

Crossing Borders

- Sikh Stories That Shape Britain

Following our launch in Wolverhampton on 3 October 2026, we have been genuinely overwhelmed by the warmth, encouragement and support the project has received. To everyone who joined us, shared the event, offered words of encouragement or simply told us how much this project matters – thank you.

The launch brought together community members, academics, cultural leaders, professionals and supporters to celebrate the stories of Sikhs who have helped shape Britain.

■ Our Speakers

We were privileged to hear from an inspiring group of speakers

This includes Ravi Singh Khalsa of Khalsa Aid, whose conversation conducted by Manpreet Darroch, radio Presenter, reflected on seva, identity, humanity and service beyond borders;
Malvinder Singh Benning, who spoke about identity, representation and breaking barriers in professional football; and
Preet Kaur Gill MP, who who reflected on representation, leadership and belonging;
The Singh Twins, The award winning contemporary British artists known for their highly detailed narrative, rooted in Indian aesthetics;
‍Anoopreet Rehncy, Founder of Rootkeepers and author of The Stolen River;
Manny Singh Kang, Wolverhampton based charity fundraiser, named Pride of Britain Fundraiser of the Year in 2024.

We are equally grateful to everyone who contributed their experiences, conversations and perspectives throughout the afternoon. Each voice reinforced why this project is needed.

The interest generated by the launch extended beyond the room, with television and media coverage helping the story of Crossing Borders reach a much wider audience. Seeing the project recognised and discussed publicly has strengthened our determination to ensure that British Sikh histories are recorded, preserved and shared.

■ The Journey Continues

What happens next?

The launch was never intended to be the destination. It was the beginning.

We will now move forward with the next phase of Crossing Borders: collecting oral histories, recording individual and family stories, preserving photographs, letters and personal archives, strengthening partnerships with Sikh organisations and communities, and creating opportunities for younger generations to connect with the histories that came before them.

We are also excited to be exploring opportunities of further Crossing Borders Events, extending the reach of Crossing Borders, to encourage even more people to become part of this growing archive’. My reason for changing to something like this is so that it doesn’t come across as only a west midland project with the potential of increasing to London - if that makes sense, and to reinforce the events are a means for the project, not the other way round.