Spring Newsletter – Sikh Sanjog

Raj Singh is the Men’s Mental Health Lead at Sikh Sanjog, where he is dedicated to supporting the wellbeing of men in the community. With a passion for breaking stigma and encouraging open conversations, Raj leads initiatives that provide safe spaces, guidance, and culturally sensitive support for those facing mental health challenges.

Ramona is a dedicated sessional youth worker who brings both professional experience and personal understanding to her role. As a parent herself, she has a strong insight into the challenges young people and families face today. Ramona is passionate about creating safe, supportive spaces where young people feel heard, valued, and empowered to grow. She is committed to building positive relationships, encouraging confidence, and promoting wellbeing through her work. With her warm and approachable nature, Ramona strives to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the young people and communities she supports.

Emily Swinley is a dedicated massage therapist with a genuine passion for helping others feel their best, both physically and emotionally. She specialises in creating a calm, supportive environment where clients can relax, recover, and restore balance. Emily is particularly committed to caring for the elderly, ensuring they receive gentle, attentive treatment tailored to their individual needs. Known for her compassionate approach and caring nature, she takes pride in making a positive difference in people’s wellbeing, promoting comfort, mobility, and overall quality of life through her work.

Sharon Ritchie is a Group Leader with Utility Warehouse, dedicated to helping individuals, families, and small businesses reduce essential costs and improve financial wellbeing. Beginning her career as a restaurant and hotel manager, she developed strong leadership and people-focused skills before working alongside the Chambers of Commerce supporting local businesses and strengthening community connections.

Driven by a desire to better understand her half-Indian heritage, Sharon joined Sikh Sanjog, where she supports initiatives that empower Asian women and promote cultural inclusion. Today, she is passionate about helping people in her community build financial confidence, resilience, and opportunity.

Nisha Singh is a passionate Community Development Manager with a diverse professional background spanning youth work, the corporate sector, and community leadership. She began her career as a youth practitioner, working closely with young people from a range of backgrounds. During this time, she developed a strong foundation in supporting personal development, building confidence, and creating safe, inclusive spaces where young people could thrive.

Building on this experience, Nisha pursued a career in the corporate sector as a qualified software engineer. Over several years, she worked within a fast-paced professional environment, gaining valuable skills in problem-solving, strategic thinking, and delivering results. Her time in the corporate world strengthened her ability to manage projects, think analytically, and approach challenges with structure and efficiency.

Despite her success in the corporate space, Nisha remained deeply connected to her passion for community work. She has since returned to working within community settings, where she now combines her technical expertise with her people-focused experience. In her role as Community Development Manager, she leads initiatives that empower individuals, strengthen communities, and create meaningful opportunities for growth.

Nisha is particularly passionate about bridging the gap between communities and access to opportunities, whether through education, skills development, or engagement programmes. She is known for her approachable nature, strong communication skills, and commitment to making a lasting impact.
Through her unique journey, Nisha brings both empathy and professionalism to her work, driven by a genuine belief in the power of community and the potential within every individual.

Rav Kaur is now happily retired following a career spanning over thirty years in the civil service in London. She held the role of Business Partner of Human Resources, where she developed strong experience in leadership, policy oversight, succession planning, advising on personnel issues, employment law and risk management.

After retirement, Rav relocated to Scotland with her husband and daughter, while maintaining close ties to her extended Sikh family and cultural roots. 

She has built new and meaningful connections within the Sikh community in Scotland and now contributes her experience as an advisor on the Sikh Sanjog Board of Governance. Rav has a long-standing commitment to empowering and supporting women and is passionate
about applying her professional skills in a voluntary capacity.

Rav’s first language is Punjabi; she is fluent it written and spoken English and has good understanding of spoken Hindi.

In addition, Rav volunteers at a National Trust for Scotland property, supporting fun
educational activities for children and families throughout the year.

Jasbir Singh is a dedicated and highly respected Community Development Worker with over 30 years of experience serving her community through Sikh Sanjog. Throughout her longstanding career, Jasbir has played a vital role in supporting, empowering, and uplifting individuals and families, particularly within minority and underrepresented communities.

Her work has been rooted in compassion, cultural understanding, and a deep commitment to creating inclusive spaces where people feel heard, valued, and supported. Over the years, Jasbir has been instrumental in developing and delivering a wide range of community programmes, focusing on wellbeing, social inclusion, and access to essential services. She has worked closely with women, young people, and families, helping to break down barriers and build confidence within the community.

Jasbir’s passion for her work is evident in her hands-on approach and her ability to connect with people on a personal level. She is known for her warmth, patience, and unwavering dedication, often going above and beyond to ensure that those she supports feel empowered and equipped to move forward positively.

Her long-standing commitment to Sikh Sanjog reflects not only her professional dedication but also her personal values of service, equality, and community cohesion. Jasbir has witnessed and contributed to significant positive changes over the years, helping to strengthen community ties and create lasting impact.
As a trusted and experienced Community Development Worker, Jasbir continues to be a pillar within the organisation and the wider community. Her passion, knowledge, and commitment remain at the heart of everything she does, inspiring those around her and making a meaningful difference in the lives of many.

My name is Manjeet Dhokia and I have been a psychotherapist for almost five years. My approach is relational, meaning I believe the therapeutic relationship itself is a powerful tool for growth and change. I value creating a genuine connection with my clients, where you feel truly heard and understood. I believe everyone has the inner strength to thrive, even when it feels hidden.
In therapy, we can examine how cultural conditioning and past experiences, including any trauma that may be impacting you in the present, and how your unique life journey has shaped your thoughts and feelings. Developing self-compassion is a key part of healing, and I’ll be there to support you in cultivating that kindness toward yourself. You are the expert on your own life, and I’m here to walk alongside you, offering support and guidance.

I have extensive experience working with clients dealing with a wide range of difficulties including but not limited to challenges faced in South Asian communities, Anxiety, Bereavement, Cultural issues, Depression, Racism, Discrimination, Family conflict, PTSD, Relationships, Self-esteem, Stress, Trauma, Suicide Ideation, Self-Harm.

Jaspreet is an experienced Operations Manager and Office administrator, playing a key role at Sikh Sanjog overseeing day-to-day office operations.

Jaspreet has over ten years of professional experience across banking, financial services, operations and administrative management. With a strong background working in multinational organisations including Lloyds Bank, Bank of India and VFS Global, she offers a blend of analytical expertise, operational efficiency, and people-centred support. Known for being detail-oriented, precise, thorough, and conscientious, Jaspreet approaches her work with care, accuracy, and a strong sense of responsibility.

Alongside her administration role, Jaspreet currently serves as an Assistant Project Manager for the Community Catalyst Project, working in partnership with Museums and Galleries Scotland. She is also actively involved in managing youth work activities at Sikh Sanjog contributing to programmes that support young people’s development and engagement.

She has also worked as a tutor with Explore Learning, supporting primary, secondary, and 11+ students with their academic progress. Jaspreet holds a Masters in engineering technology, bringing strong analytical and problem-solving skills to her role. Outside of work, she enjoys painting and sketching, has a keen interest in arts and dance, and is passionate about supporting young people in their learning journeys.

Jess Kaur Panesar is a values-driven leader whose career has been shaped by a lifelong commitment to equality, community empowerment, and culturally informed services across Scotland. As Director of Operations at Sikh Sanjog, she brings more than two decades of experience across the third sector, health,
justice, education, and community development.

Her professional background includes leading national healthcare training
programmes, transforming digital learning services, and delivering major
community projects, including the opening of Scotland’s largest Gurdwara,
attended by more than 14,000 people. She has also supported educational
organisations to strengthen equity and inclusion, ensuring that diverse voices are represented in decision-making.

Jess is the former Chair of the Police Scotland Sikh Association, which she
alongside a fantastic team, launched as the organisation’s first Sikh staff association. Her work strengthened relationships between policing and Scotland’s diverse communities and earned her national recognition for her contributions to equality and inclusion. She now continues this work at a national level, including as a Board Member of BEMIS, supporting Scotland’s ethnic minority communities through policy influence and strategic leadership
and is on the Independent Advisory Group for the British Transport Police.

Jess’s journey has never been conventional. Before stepping into senior leadership roles, she ran small businesses and worked as a radio presenter,
experiences that strengthened her creativity, communication skills, and ability to connect with people from all walks of life. She is also an accomplished artist. Her artwork has raised thousands of pounds for charities through auction donations, reflecting her belief that creativity should serve the community.

Across every chapter of her career, Jess has been guided by a simple aim: to help lift the people around her. At Sikh Sanjog, she is proud to champion the empowerment of Sikh and minority ethnic families across Scotland and ensure their voices shape the services and policies that affect their lives.

In 2008 Hilary retired from a rewarding 30 year career in the global brewing industry, laterally as Technical & Education Director.

Through the Pilotlight organisation she was linked with Sikh Sanjog as a mentor to Trishna, who was tasked with building a café project into a profitable Social Enterprise. Pilotlight thought her background in the private sector with a hospitality element could bring useful skills, including finance, HR and relevant regulatory experience such as hygiene and environment.

Trishna and Hilary worked up their first grant application together and wererewarded with generous funding from the Scottish Government for a full fit outof a proper catering kitchen and café at the foot of Leith Walk. Punjab ‘n’ deRasoi was opened by John Swinney in 2010, and rebranded as Punjabi Junctiona few years later.

She joined the board in 2010, and became Chairperson in 2019. “I have learned so much about the many issues, challenges and cultural barriers that ethnic minority groups face across Scotland: such barriers particularly to women and girls are often invisible to people like me growing up in a ‘white Scottish’ world. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to make a little difference towards a fairer Scotland.

Trishna is the Founder/Director of Sikh Sanjog the only Sikh Family Support charity in Scotland and Punjabi Junction Social Enterprise the first Sikh women’s Social Enterprise in Scotland. She has over 30 years’ experience working in the Voluntary sector. Graduated from Glasgow University with a degree in Community Learning and Development in 2007, in recognition of her services to the community, she is the first Sikh woman in Scotland to have received an OBE in 2014. Her work is centred on the thematic areas of Community Development Gender- Social Justice, Civic Engagement, Race Equality and Human Rights.

She was appointed first Honorary Sikh Chaplain to Edinburgh University in 2012 and is currently part of the Chaplaincy team. She has extensive knowledge and understanding of the Sikh religion and culture from the lived experience of women.

Her wealth of experience together with knowledge of ethnic communities in particular the women of the Bhatra Sikh Community in Scotland and their needs has resulted in her being asked to represent the Sikh Community in a variety of arenas both statutory and voluntary.

She is keen to continue to build links that can create pathways for women of all communities to participate in civic life. Her aim is to continue to break down barriers to learning, reducing the obstacles that get in the way of people receiving a service and improving communication between professions about the needs of the Sikh and other BME women. She would like to see the inequalities gap closed, especially in terms of disadvantage and exclusion relating to education, skills and training at all levels.