Looking back over this last week, the information that i have placed on this page has reached 44,353 and has 8,175 engagements. It has been an emotional week with Raj Kumars funeral. Raj was a ray of sunshine on our shopping parade. I think it is true to say that I like many others were shocked and stunned when hearing the bad news. But even in death there have been surprises!
The turnout for the minutes silence on the 26th of August was huge, it was a gathering of hundreds, even thousands. The words of Rev Sam were indelible reminders of the life of Raj.
Then this week on Thursday the 31st of August 2017, we again witnessed the great community spirit, here on Ashmore Park when the funeral cortege turned into the Shopping Parade, to be met by another huge crowd who had come to make and wish their own goodbyes to Raj!
These have been amazing scenes of respect and community values.
The fact that the news and media have reported the events, in the way that they have on regional radio, in national newspapers, and through editions of our own Express and Star.
These media actions Informs us that what we have witnessed, (and many of us were part of both occasions!) have not really been seen before or lately. Certainly in the age we live in now, they haven’t been viewed before.
Our community’s actions became newsworthy because of an exceptional man, and an exceptional warm human being we had in Raj Kumar, and an equally exceptional community that has shown the strength it has and holds in the delivery of its own community values.
So with the passing of this week, full of emotion, full of thoughts and memories, we look inevitably at next week.
I know that there are many in our community, that wants to provide a long and lasting memory to Raj. I will through these pages report on the progress of those individuals who have spoken to me about what they feel is required to remember Raj by.
This ranges from raising money for a Defibrillator, through to providing a bench and a Plaque, and planting a memorial garden plus more!
Your Councillors Rita Potter, Mary and I have been at all the events, we have spoken to scores of you in our community about the out pouring of community love towards Raj Kumar and the values he displayed when serving our community through his hardware emporium!
We will of course work with our community, as we always do to ensure that whatever is chosen to become a memorial to Raj is achievable and deliverable.
So at the end of an emotional week, I do hope that you will have found the social media pages here helpful, and perhaps you could like them! And come back and visit them regularly. There is always lots of Wednesfield North and Community activities and information on them!
