Celebrating Vaisakhi at The Mount: Community, culture and belonging

We were delighted to celebrate Vaisakhi at The Mount, bringing staff, service users and the local community together for an afternoon of culture, faith and connection.

Staff, service users, carers and members of the local community came together at The Mount to celebrate Vaisakhi in an afternoon of warmth, learning and shared celebration of one of the most important festivals in the Sikh calendar.

Following the success of last year’s event, our Multi‑Faith Chaplaincy Service once again hosted a vibrant Vaisakhi celebration for staff, service users, carers and members of the local community. The event offered an opportunity not only to recognise an important Sikh festival, but also to reflect our Trust’s ongoing commitment to inclusion, equality and a sense of belonging for all.

Guests were welcomed by a display exploring the history and meaning of Vaisakhi, also known as Baisakhi. Celebrated each April, Vaisakhi marks the spring harvest in Punjab and, for Sikhs, the formation of the Khalsa in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh. It is a time rooted in renewal, service and community, values that resonate strongly across our Trust.

Faith, Wisdom and Shared Understanding

The afternoon included a thoughtful and accessible talk by Dr Satwant Kaur Rait, our Volunteer Sikh Chaplain, who spoke about Sikh beliefs and the significance of Vaisakhi. Dr Rait is a respected authority on Sikh chaplaincy.

Music and movement played a central role throughout the event. Visitors from the Sikh community led Sikh prayers (kirtan), accompanied by harmonium, creating a calm and reflective atmosphere that service users and staff engaged with deeply. This was followed by a joyful traditional Giddah dance performance, bringing colour, energy and celebration into the space and drawing smiles and applause from everyone present.

Guests were also invited to enjoy light refreshments, thoughtfully prepared and shared by members of the Sikh community, adding another layer of connection and hospitality to the afternoon.

Events like this matter. In mental health settings especially, recognising cultural and faith traditions can help foster identity, belonging and wellbeing. Celebrating Vaisakhi provided meaningful moments of connection, reflection and pride, not just for Sikh colleagues and service users, but for everyone who took part.

As one attendee shared:

“I was so proud of our Trust for recognising and celebrating Vaisakhi for our Sikh colleagues, service users, carers and the local community. Having a sense of belonging at work is so important – this really meant a lot.”

We would like to thank everyone who contributed to making the celebration such a success, from our chaplaincy colleagues and community visitors to staff who supported service users to attend and take part.

Please explore the photo gallery below, which captures some of the colour, joy and shared spirit of the day. We look forward to continuing to celebrate meaningful faith and cultural events together across our Trust.