Bolton Hindu band praised for raising £100,000 over 35 years

Hindu group Ram Dhoon Bhajan Mandal formed in the 1980s and focuses on devotional singing, holding events to support bereaved families.

The group visits family members and performs to raise funds for organisations, which has included Bolton Hospice, British Heart Foundation and Macmillan.

The majority of the funds go to Bolton causes but donations have also gone to international projects including those supporting children in shelter, orphanages, helping the destitute and feeding the poor.

Band member Mansukh Pankhania said: "We have never thought about promoting our work, we've just raised money and donated it. Our aim has always just been to help good causes in any way we can.

"When we visit places like Bury Hospice, where you see children suffering from terminal illnesses, it touches your heart and you want to do anything you can to help.

"The hospice said if we promote our activities and work it may inspire others to do the same, which is why we’ve come to Bolton Hindu Forum to promote and share our activities, but also to show that if we can do this sort of work, you can do it too.

"If everyone did their own little bit to help people, the world would be a very happy place.

"We want more people doing these sorts of activities, all of these charitable groups do such amazing work.

"We all need to support them and help in way possible, whether its volunteering, fundraising, raising awareness, anything at all."

And now the Bolton Hindu Forum is hoping to help the band by promoting what it does across the area.

A forum spokesman said: "Until recently they had quietly been carrying on with their

great work, but their last donation for Bolton Hospice included a conversation about promoting their work so that others may be inspired to get involved or do fundraising of their own."

More information on the band can be found by getting in touch with the Hindu forum by calling 01204 238018 or by going to boltonhinduforum.org.uk