Hotel of the Year award

A landmark Bradford hotel which combines Victorian grandeur with contemporary elegance has had its dedication to excellence and customer service recognised with an award.

The Great Victoria Hotel won the Hotel of the Year award, sponsored by The Sekhon Group.

Hotel General Manager Daniel Kirkham said: “Me and the team are delighted to be awarded hotel of the year at the awards. It’s humbling to know that the team’s hard work, dedication and effort has been recognised and I thank every one of them for it.

"I’ve been at the hotel for many years and we’ve had some great successes in that time, increasing occupancy, growing our function and wedding business, and becoming the first accredited 4* hotel in the city centre.

“The team’s dedication and strive for customer excellence is at our heart, and I hope we can achieve much more in 2024. I’d also like to thank all those involved in making the awards ceremony such a memorable night, and it’s great to see so many local businesses getting together to celebrate what Bradford has to offer.”

The hotel’s website says that the hotel “represents a city rich in history, heritage and cultural diversity, and its central location reinforces its superior position and the pivotal role it played in the development of the city.

The Great Victoria has been sympathetically refurbished, transforming it into one of the most contemporary and stylish hotels in the city, with arguably the best bedrooms in town.”

The hotel has built a strong reputation for hosting weddings, with events run by a dedicated team offering a personal service from start to finish. It offers a choice of an inclusive package or a bespoke wedding.

Earlier this year The Great Victoria Hotel won the Venue of the Year award at Britain’s Asian Wedding Awards 2023.

Good Morning,
Hope you are well – you are massive part of Bradford, with not only your property portfolio but also the work you do across the community supporting business and the great people of Bradford.
I would love to have a chat to see if we can work together on all that we are trying to achieve for the city.

Warm regards,
Matthew Dakin - Sponsorship Manager (he/him)

Bradford UK City of Culture 2025 & Sekhon Group

Telegraph & Argus - THE RETAIL, LEISURE & HOSPITALITY

Dear Simmy,

How are you? I hope that this email finds you well.

I was so sorry that you were unable to join us recently for an exclusive dinner at the University of Huddersfield, where we talked about our unique SUDIC service that supports families who tragically lose a child suddenly and unexpectedly. I am sure you would have found it inspiring to listen to Talia, a mum who talked bravely and passionately about what the support she received from Forget Me Not meant to her and her family when her son died. She was very open about the difference this support has made to her life, and it highlighted the need for this vital service.

Here’s what another parent told us: “I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the kindness that you have given me throughout the darkest days of my life. I have received no other support from any other services other than Forget Me Not. I dread to think how I would have got through these past months if didn’t have the care from them. I will be forever thankful.”

Our relationship with West Yorkshire Police, which guests also heard about from the Chief Constable, John Robins, demonstrated the importance and value they place on working with our team here at Forget Me Not so that together, we can deliver our promise; For as long as we’re here, no family in West Yorkshire will have to face the loss of their child alone.

I know that Alison will be in touch soon to arrange to get together with you in November, and to hopefully progress previously discussed ideas and initiatives.

I do hope that we are able to catch up again soon, it would be lovely to see you.

Best Wishes,

Gareth Pierce - CEO - Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice

Forget Me Not

Club Ekta Sponsorship

Hi Simmy,

I hope this email finds you well. On behalf of Club Ekta CIC, I want to express our deepest gratitude for your generous sponsorship of our recent charity event. Your support made a significant impact on the success of the event, and we are truly thankful for your contribution.

Your willingness to invest in our cause is helping us make a real difference in the lives of those we serve. The funds raised during the event will go a long way in supporting our mission and the vital programs and services we provide to the women and girls in Jalandhar, India.

We look forward to sharing updates on the impact your support has made and hope to continue our partnership in the future.

Once again, thank you for your kindness and generosity. It is sponsors like you who make our work possible. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our ongoing initiatives, please feel free to reach out to us.

Wishing you all the best, and looking forward to future collaborations!

regards,
Harleen Kaur
Founder of Club Ekta

Dear Iqbal,

Thank you for giving to The Rotary Foundation!

With your help, we raised over $427 million to fund projects that will make a difference around the world.

Last Rotary year, because of your support and your dedication to Doing Good in the World, together, we funded more than 1,100 global grants, 470 district grants, and 310 disaster response grants. To make this work possible, we rely on donors like you. Your generosity helped us raise more than US$427 million, which will continue to help communities thrive through sustainable, life-changing projects.

Gifts from donors like you are making a big impact in communities around the world. Thanks to your generosity, Rotary members can continue improving people’s health, supporting high-quality education, protecting the environment, and aiding communities affected by disasters. Together, we continue to accomplish all of this great work while remaining committed to solving some of the world’s most complex problems, including eradicating polio to make sure children are free from its devastating effects. With your support, we can continue to unite and take action to create lasting change.

Your donations make Doing Good in the World possible. Thank you, Iqbal, for strengthening both your own community and communities everywhere.

Sincerely,
The Rotary Foundation

The Rotary Foundation

Forget Me Not Golf Day

Dear Simmy

On behalf of everyone at Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, I would like to send our sincere thanks for your lovely gift of £250 to support the Golf Day taking place on Friday 8th September in aid of the services we provide for babies and children with life shortening conditions, and their families throughout West Yorkshire.

Your support will greatly assist us in ensuring that the teams taking part in this event, will have a wonderful day, raise awareness of the work that we do and ultimately raise vital funds for Forget Me Not.

Thank you for your kind generosity that enables us to honour our promise that, for as long as we are here, no family in West Yorkshire will face the loss of their child alone. The wonderful support that we receive from The Sekhon Group helps us to make a lifetime of difference to our families. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!

Kindest regards

Alison Parker Philanthropy Manager

"I am new in role at Bradford Hospitals Charity and would like to take the opportunity to thank you all at Sekhon Group for your support." - Lisa Williams

The 100 Club

FA Cup Sponsorship

Amongst others, The Sekhon Group are sponsoring the FA Cup match between Albion Sports and Chadderton.

Good Morning all and Happy Friday!

I just wanted to drop you all a note to say a Massive thank you for sponsoring the categories at last nights Business Awards, I hope you all enjoyed the night and not too many sore heads this morning!

Without your support we honestly would not be able to run these events, that are so important to our City and to showcase the great work that all businesses do on a daily basis, I’m sure you would all agree that recognition is key to any successful business and the positivity in the room last night was amazing, so your support is greatly appreciated.

Each year the event has rapidly grown, and we are hoping that next year’s event can be held at Bradford Live which will be amazing, we go again from next week to secure all the sponsors for 2024 and this years sponsors are always given first chance to secure their category again. So please do let me know if you would like to support for next year and we can pencil you in.

Once again, a massive thank you from all of us and hope you all have an amazing weekend

Kind Regards
Japinder

Bradford Business Awards 2023

"Dear Simmy and Rehana,
A huge “Thank you” to you both for your fantastic support and sponsorship of our Horsforth Gala.
Our Gala on Saturday proved a great success with an excellent turn-out from our local pre-school and school settings for our walking parade. With St. Margaret’s taking First Place this year.
The Sekhon Group was thanked on the day and we displayed your company logo which was clearly visible in our stage and arena areas and featured in our Gala programme.
Our Gala Queen and King were cheered by the crowds and were very well received and thankfully the weather was kind to us all.
I will forward you a selection of photographs and copies of our programme for your company’s reference.
Warmest Regards
Tracy Stones"

Dear Simmy,
I trust you are well.
I am attaching an acknowledgment from ShelterBox for the £150 you gave in Alan’s memory.
I have sent a copy to Marj who is aware that you forwarded this money to the Club.
When we last spoke, I meant to ask after your father. I hope he is doing well, do please pass on my best wishes to him.
Regards
David

Lunch Boxes For Students

"I can confirm that Nirmal Singh made a very generous donation to support ‘free’ lunch boxes for our students on Christmas Day as part of his philanthropic donation. This was organised by Faiz Ilyas in the Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences. So, I am assuming that the Faculty paid and that it now needs to be refunded – Michele / Faiz, please can you confirm directly with Donna. The students were all made aware of the donar." - Professor Zahir Irani PhD, MPhil, BEng (Hons)
Link to Full Article Here

"A huge thank you to Simmy Sekhon for his kind donation of £500 for the appeal to get some raffle prizes for our cupboard." - Emma Walker

Bradford Cinderella Club

The Cinderella Club has one basic aim.
“To improve life for the underprivileged children of Bradford.”

We try to achieve that by enabling them to:

• Participate in activities alongside their school friends.
• Obtain some of the desirables in life that others take for granted.
• Obtain some of the necessities for life within their own area of need.

We cannot wave magic wands to make this happen but we can do it in other ways:

• Provide funding that they cannot acquire for themselves.
• Provide contacts who can help their situation.
• Influence others to get involved.

Browse through the site to see how WE do this and how YOU can help us do it.
For more information click Here

Donation For Raffle Prizes

Innovation in Income Generation Award

Winners: South Asian Community Engagement, Forget Me Not Children's Hospice The judges concluded that the winning project was a fantastic example of investing in fundraising for the medium to long term. The fundraising team identified a new but key target audience and worked out that they needed a bespoke and different approach. The introduction of a Community Engagement Officer into the fundraising team was a bold and innovative move and from the outset building trust with key individuals who could influence locally was the key to success. The judges were impressed by the multiple successes this initiative has already seen from a well-attended HNW dinner to increased engagement from trustees from diverse communities. Link to Full Article Here

Our sincerest gratitude to you and the Sekhon Group of companies for kindly supporting our Inspirational Women's Charity Cricket Tournament which concluded August 2019.

As a result of your contribution more than 50 women were able to learn and play cricket, who had perhaps never played before. In addition we went on to raise more than £12,000 for charity, which has benefited Cancer Support Yorkshire, Bradford Women's Aid, Mind (Bradford) and Yorkshire Children's Trust.

Inspirational Women Foundation

RF Media Publishing

Prepare for an exhilarating announcement! I'm thrilled to share that amidst a pool of exceptional individuals, you have emerged as the epitome of influence and impact in the vibrant Bradford district as Asian Standards most influential South Asians for 2022.

Out of the countless nominations received by Asian Standard, your names shone brilliantly, supported by local insight and meticulous research. Your unwavering dedication to go above and beyond, utilising your position, work, and business to effectuate meaningful change, has propelled you to the forefront of the City of Bradford.

Your sponsorship was invaluable as not only did it help us showcase Bradford's award-winning culinary offering and celebrate the city's curry industry, but significantly impacted on a growth in tourism, directly benefiting the local economy.

Bradford Curry Awards & Mela

Bradford Bulls Sponsorship

Kind words from Jason Hirst, Chief Executive Officer & Ian Stafford, Commercial Manager

Hi Simmy,
Hope you are well
Further to recent discussions, I am pleased to share with you the branding that is now in place.
The 6 window branding is all visible from the ground and is in the Chairman's Suite
I look forward to seeing you at a game soon
Thank you for your ongoing support, it is very much appreciated and not taken for granted
Thank You and Kind Regards,
Ian Stafford

Hi Simmy,
Just to echo Ian's words;
On behalf of the club and myself, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Sekhon Group and yourself for your invaluable and much appreciated support.
We look forward to hosting you at a match, soon.
Have a great weekend!
Kind Regards,
Jason Hirst

Bradford Bulls and Sekhon Group Supporting Sandale Community Hub

Forget Me Not Childrens Hospice

Good Morning Vimal

On behalf of everyone at Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to The Sekhon Group for this incredibly generous gift for our Every Minute Matters campaign. This kindness will enable us to provide vital support for 100 families next year who will suffer the loss of their precious baby and words cannot express what this support will mean to them. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

With kindest regards

Alison

Dear Iqbal

Thank you for becoming a Patron of Bradford Cathedral. Your generous support is helping us to conserve and protect our wonderful building, deliver our inspirational education, music and arts programmes, and support some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in our diverse communities.

With sincere thanks for your generosity and my very best wishes. Blessings The Very Revd Andy Bowerman Dean of Bradford

Thank you, your donation to Bradford Cathedral has been successfully processed.

£500.00
12-Oct-2022

Bradford Cathedral Sponsorship

Yorkshire Champions Group

The community champions personal background and situations may be different, but every single child has one thing in common; with the right direction and support, they have the potential to succeed. In our mainstream schools, some pupils seem to breezze through. They turn up, listen, take part, complete homework, pass exams and leave equipped to go onto better things. Then there are those students who struggle and have a very different view of school life altogether; whether it be through immaturity, lack of self-esteem, little or no family support, motivation or just the general inability to grasp the importance of what is on offer.

Often with that kind of attitude comes disruption and disrespect in the classroom, ending in total frustration and hours of wasted time. The teachers who have prepared and planned specific lessons are sometimes almost considered a nuisance or perhaps someone there to spoil their social interaction. instead of teaching, it can end up policing a class, which then has a knock-on effect on those students who do grasp the point of education and want to learn.

Our aim is solely to support the school and the teachers. We all understand and appreciate what a difficult and stressful profession teaching can be. When a community champion is invited into a school they will talk about their own journeys but also endeavour to inspire, encourage and motivate their audience. We would like to try and change the attitude and the way some students feel about education in general.

The community champions help and support the 'Educational Bank Account'. Every bit of effort and knowledge they retain now is almost like banking invisible money, and without realising it, they are already preparing and contributing to this 'Educational Bank Account' which will pay dividends at a later date. This will give them something to offer and enable them to have choices in life. In addition, it will prepare them to stand on their own two feet, take care of their families and feel like a worthwhile member of society.

Furthermore, if our team members can help just some of these young people, to see the connection between, the value, effort and hard work they put in today and the opportunities that will open on leaving school with a full 'Educational Bank Account', our initiative has been a success.
The Business Champions The Business Champions section of the Yorkshire Champions group is in its early stage of development and will be formed as a natural progression and follow on from the community Champions. The Business Champions will be made up of thousands of businesses across the region. We are fully supported by the North West Chamber of commerce (who represent 40 of the city's most important organisations, both private and public sector.)

Our website will create a platform for all our schools, colleges and universities to form a lasting and constructive relationship with businesses across the region. it will open a gateway for businesses/companies to offer a unique service. They can provide an insight both visually and hands on, into the world of work today. This will give our young people a realistic opportunity to understand and appreciate the world of business and its opportunities. It will enable them to understand how the business function on many levels. And now, with the new technology and 'artificial intelligence' many of the career paths, they may have taken, will cease to exist.

The Business Champions, will help to focus their minds, expectations and ambitions. There will be visits to businesses, hands on experience, mentoring, business representatives visiting schools, colleges etc, which will open a whole new and exciting world for the students. Schools will play a full and active part in requesting what they need, as well as embracing offers proposed by businesses. They can base that need on curriculum, interests, age, and the individual strengths if students. And this service is 'free'! Students will meet, and be able to have a rapport with real people in business. And form a safe and continuous relationship if needed, over the school years. Long term mentoring can take place, with a view to possible apprenticeships, work placements, and future employers. The Businesses can offer sound guidance, experience and the opportunity, to see first-hand, what they produce, or what services they provide.

Through our website, and its facilitator's, our schools and businesses can reach each other through a simple format. It will also allow us to take on board their individual needs, suggestions and feedback, which we will be constantly monitoring, and striving to improve as we go along.
Our aim is for this new, amazing and exciting initiative, to benefit both the young people in the region and the business world. In addition to that, the businesses will not only fulfil their 'corporate Social Responsibility' which is hugely important, especially in today's current economic climate. They will without doubt, be contributing to the successful future of our next generation.

The Sports Champions

The Yorkshire Sports Champions will motivate and inspire children and young people focusing on their sporting achievements, they will relate their personal sporting journey to resilience, mental and physical health and well-being and the importance of leaving education with a full 'Educational Bank Account'.

Chardi Kala Nirmal ji and Simmy

Nirmal Singh MBE FRSA Honorary Fellow University of Bradford, Chairman of Sekhon Group and Founder & Chairman of Yorkshire Sikh Forum, Simmy Sekhon LLB, CEO of Sekhon Group, Dr Manoj Joshi MBE DL, gathered with Gill Arnold JP DL Founder of Yorkshire Champions Group today at City Park, Bradford with fellow Business, Community and sports Champions for a Photo shoot to promote the work of Yorkshire Champions Group.

Nirmal Singh and Simmy Sekhon are leading and driving force of YCG with their continued support and assistance.

For Further information, please contact Nirmal Singh MBE FRSA Hon Fellow UoB Mobile 0780735123