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The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has opened a statutory inquiry into Asthan Babe Ke Trust (1027792). The inquiry was opened on 11 May 2018.

The charity’s objects include advancing the Sikh religion and education, the relief of poverty, and the provision of facilities for social recreation and elderly care facilities in the region of the West Midlands and elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

The Commission has serious regulatory concerns that the charity has not been properly managed by its trustees, as a result of an internal dispute.

A regulatory compliance case was opened in 2017 after concerns were raised regarding allegations of personal benefits, unmanaged conflicts of interest, invalid appointment of trustees, undeclared income and poor financial controls. The Commission then set the charity an action plan to help the trustees resolve the dispute and issues raised which included commencing a mediation process.

The Commission is concerned about whether the trustees have sufficient oversight and control over the charity’s funds, payments and records given that the charity is seemingly controlled and administered by an executive committee who manage the charity’s cash funds.

The Commission is also concerned about the management of the charity’s freehold assets of almost £1.8m. In order to protect the charity’s assets, the Commission advised the trustees to vest its UK property in the Official Custodian. However, the trustees have so far failed to do so.

The trustees have failed to make any meaningful progress against the regulator’s action plan. As a result the Commission has opened a statutory inquiry to address its concerns.

The inquiry will examine:

• the governance, management and administration of the charity by the trustees, with particular regard to:
  • whether the trustees have exercised sufficient oversight and control of the charity, especially with regards to its assets
  • whether the trustees are willing/capable of managing the charity in accordance with its governing document
  • whether the trustees have complied with previously issued regulatory guidance; and
  • whether connected party transactions have been properly managed

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were. Reports of previous inquiries by the Commission are available on GOV.UK.

Notes to editors

1. The Charity Commission is the regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work see the about us page on GOV.UK.
2. Search for charities on our check charity tool.
3. Section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission the power to institute inquiries. The opening of an inquiry gives the commission access to a range of investigative, protective and remedial legal powers.

A national Windrush Day backed by new government funding will take place on 22 June every year, encouraging communities across the country to celebrate the contribution of the Windrush Generation and their descendants, Communities Minister Lord Bourne announced today (18 June 2018).

The event will be overseen by a body of British Caribbean representatives and a Windrush Day grant of up to £500,000 will be available each year to charities and communities seeking to hold commemorative and educational events.

The British Caribbean community have been consulted widely to ensure the legacy and contribution of the Windrush Generation and their descendants is recognised and celebrated.

The announcement comes as the nation prepares for a range of Windrush 70 activities to commemorate the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks. A National Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey on 22 June 2018 will form the centrepiece of events.

Communities Minister Lord Bourne said:

A Windrush Day will allow communities up and down the country to recognise and honour the enormous contribution of those who stepped ashore at Tilbury Docks 70 years ago. It will keep their legacy alive for future generations, ensuring that we all celebrate the diversity of Britain’s history.

It is a truly proud moment as we start a week of exciting Windrush 70 events, headed by a National Service at Westminster Abbey, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Windrush.

70 years ago on 22 June 1948 the Empire Windrush landed at Tilbury Docks, Essex. The arrival of 492 passengers from the Caribbean marked a seminal moment in Britain’s history, and has come to stand for the rich diversity of this nation.

The Windrush Generation made a huge contribution to rebuilding the country following the war and their settlement and their descendants have continued to enrich social, economic, political and religious life.

Windrush Foundation Director Arthur Torrington said:

The announcement of a national Windrush Day is a moment of great satisfaction. It will cement in the national consciousness the important contribution of those who travelled from the Caribbean to Britain 70 years ago to build a better life and participate in making Britain a stronger nation.

Their legacy has lived on in their children and grandchildren and the communities they have built across the country. For years to come, Windrush Day will bring people together to celebrate this vital part of our shared history and heritage.

Churches Together Dr Joe Aldred said:

The national service at Westminster Abbey to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the arrival of Empire Windrush marks a hugely important moment for the nation.

Over successive generations the British Caribbean community has shown resilience and contributed so much to British life. Windrush 70 will honour this contribution and the hugely positive impact the Windrush Generation and their descendants have had to make this country stronger.

Lambeth Councillor Sonia Winifred said:

Windrush 70 is not just a commemoration of the long journey made by several hundred people but recognition of their legacy which has changed all our lives – culturally, socially, economically and politically. As the Windrush 70 logo says, it’s part of our DNA and nowhere more so than Lambeth.

Confirmation of the annual event forms part of the Windrush 70 campaign that will see celebratory activities including dance performances, exhibitions and debates continue throughout the year.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is funding a number of events, including the following:

• National Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey
• AGE UK Windrush 70 tea party hosted by Lambeth Council
• Phoenix Dance Company performance of Windrush: Movement of the People at Lambeth Town Hall
• Commemorative ‘platinum’ pin badges designed by Brixton-based design group Champion Agency to be distributed at key Windrush 70 events throughout the country

Further information

www.windrush70.org will list a range of events taking place up and down the country.

The Foreign Secretary lends his support to President Ghani’s announcement of an extension to the Afghan government’s ceasefire with the Taliban and calls on the Taliban to support peace.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

I welcome President Ghani’s announcement that the nationwide government ceasefire with the Taliban will be extended beyond Eid al-Fitr. This shows that the Afghan government is listening to its people, who overwhelmingly support peace.

I hope that the Taliban will respect the wishes of the Afghan people and respond in kind.

The UK strongly supports steps towards peace in Afghanistan, including President Ghani’s unprecedented offer of talks without preconditions in February.

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @BorisJohnson and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

Michelin-starred chef Glynn Purnell has created a mouth-watering dish based entirely on the ingredients which get from plot to plate at his Birmingham restaurant via the well-known structure.

The special dish, called ‘Truffled A38’, comprises celeriac, Maris Piper potatoes, double cream, fresh parsley, Berkswell cheese, garnished with truffle and seasoned with salt and ground ginger.

Glynn, affectionately known as the ‘Yummy Brummie’, created the dish specially for Highways England to mark the 50th anniversary of work starting to build the road, officially named Gravelly Hill Interchange.

View a video of Glynn creating the dish.

He and Highways England also aim to raise the profile of the 2018 Year of Engineering campaign designed to encourage more young people into the industry.

Glynn said:

It was a tremendous honour to be asked by Highways England to create a special dish as a tribute to Spaghetti Junction. I also took it very seriously as it means an incredible amount to me as a proud Brummie.

I use the road at least four to six times a day and for me it is more about traffic, it is symbolic of Brummies and their sense of humour which comes across in the name of the road. I’m proud to have a restaurant in Birmingham and Spaghetti Junction is an essential part of helping to get daily produce here to the restaurant from places across the country such as Cornwall.

My children always chuckle when I mention Spaghetti Junction to them because they imagine it is like a piece of spaghetti, a drawing on a piece of paper. But it’s important that they think about the world around them and how things are built and constructed.

It is great that the Year of Engineering is calling on youngsters to think about a career in the sector because without engineering we wouldn’t have the road and it is a crucial part of helping people to access the wonderful city of Birmingham. There will always people that poke fun and criticise it, but for me, the road does more good than bad and I think we’d be lost without it.

By bringing young people face to face with engineering experiences and role models, the Year of Engineering campaign aims to showcase the creativity and innovation of engineering careers and widen the pool of young people from all backgrounds who are willing to consider the profession, diversifying a workforce that is 91% male and 94% white.

Highways England’s emergency planning officer Frank Bird is responsible for managing traffic flows around the structure and has done so for the past 14 years. He was the lucky recipient when it came to tasting the dish.

Frank said:

It was a real earthy dish and it certainly showcased the variety that comes into the kitchen through Spaghetti Junction every day. It tasted delicious and it is a privilege to have someone like Glynn Purnell recognising the significance of the road and its role in serving the people of Birmingham and beyond.

The Year of Engineering is crucial in helping to get the budding engineers of tomorrow thinking about the world around them and the 50th anniversary of work starting to build Spaghetti Junction is testament to what can be achieved by talented engineers.

Any young people inspired to explore a career in engineering are encouraged to visit the Year of Engineering website which has further information.

The recipe for Truffled A38

• Celeriac – Quartered
• Maris piper potato – 1 large, peeled and washed
• Double cream – 300ml
• Fresh parsley – 1 tablespoon chopped
• Berkswell Cheese – 30g grated
• Truffle
• Salt and ground ginger to season

Method:

1. Using a vegetable spiralizer, prepare the celeriac and potato into vegetable “spaghetti”.
2. Put the cream into a large sauté pan and reduce by half, add the celeriac and potato
   and cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until al dente, add the cheese and stir in
   to incorporate.
3. Add the parsley and season with salt and ground ginger.
4. Using a pasta fork twist the vegetable spaghetti and place into a serving dish, spoon
   the creamy sauce over the top.
5. Finish by grating fresh truffle over the top.

Spaghetti Junction in numbers

• it is the interchange of the M6, A38, A38 (M) connecting Birmingham and the M6
• work started to build the road in 1968
• some of the columns elevating the structure reach some 80ft
• Spaghetti Junction continues to hold international acclaim having formed the backdrop for filming for Ready Player One with some scenes filmed underneath the structure
• the towering concrete columns, some reaching to 80 feet high, formed the ideal backdrop to the film, which was in cinemas earlier this year
• for the filming, special templates featuring graffiti were stuck to the concrete structures and various props added into the set, including cars and tyres, with a ‘camp’ constructed for the new film
• the film crew took considerable effort to protect the structure and ensure nothing was damaged during filming

About Glynn Purnell

• Glynn first started cooking at the age of 14.
• his first food related memory was cooking baked beans on toast with curry powder, a testament to his desire to experiment with different flavour combinations
• on leaving school, he joined the Metropole Hotel at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) where he would catch the No 966 bus to get to the venue
• he started working as an apprentice and worked for six years in various departments
• accolades include obtaining Birmingham’s first Michelin Star for Jessica’s in 2005.
• Purnell’s has held a Michelin Star every year since 2009.

General enquiries

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Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.