Ipswich Hindus fundraise for India as deaths reach over 4,300 a day

Community group Ipswich Hindu Samaj hopes they can donate £1,000s to the Indian Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund through sponsored walks.

Ipswich Hindu Samaj is raising money for India, which has been struck severely by the coronavirus pandemic. This picture is pre-pandemic. (Image: Ipswich Hindu Samaj)

Chair of Ipswich Hindu Samaj Umesh Patel, who has family in India, claimed this wave has been "worse" for India, which already struggles with many living in poverty and people that have no choice but to ignore social distancing to work.

Among this situation has also been the greater transmission of the Indian Covid-19 variant with younger people also affected. Mr Patel said. "I have heard quite a few youngsters have had deaths."

Ipswich Hindu Samaj is raising money for India, which has been struck severely by the coronavirus pandemic. This picture is pre-pandemic. (Image: Ipswich Hindu Samaj)

The 57-year-old added people in the UK and Ipswich do not realise how "lucky" they are as the government here has provided access to financial support and healthcare.

Mr Patel, a pharmacist, is also raising money through walking and running event the Orwell Challenge. He is taking sponsorship money from his local community through his Delta Pharmacy on Foxhall Road.

Umesh Patel's Delta Pharmacy is on Foxhall Road in Ipswich. (Image: Umesh Patel)

For more information on how you can donate see ipswichhindusamaj.org.uk.