Leicester Maher Community Association
18th August 2014
Jai Shree Krishna
Dearest Gnati Brothers and Sisters
We hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. The LMCA team have been very busy preparing for this year’s forthcoming celebrations and events. Please find details of the events and festivities:
Events 2014 Celebration Dates
Lok Dairo Saturday 20th September: 7pm onwards
Navratri Thursday 25th September – Friday 3rd October
Sharad Purnima Saturday 11th October: 7pm onwards
Diwali Gathering and Sneh Milan Saturday 1st November : 6pm onwards
Singles Event Saturday 15th November: Time/Venue to be confirmed
Children’s Christmas Party Saturday 13th December: 3pm onwards
New Year’s Eve Party Wednesday 31st December: 7pm onwards
We would like to sincerely request our community members to show your support by attending the detailed events.
Festive Celebrations
Navratri 2014: Thursday 25th September – Friday 3rd October (for Mahers only)
Singers: Murubhai Barot, Damyantiben Bardai and group
Timescales: 7pm to 12am prompt – Garba for ladies will begin at 7.30pm
Agenda: Arti, Garba, Dandia-Raas, 3-Tadi, Heech, Ranjanyu, Sanedo
Fancy Dress: Saturday 27th September @ 8pm promptly
Competition is open to boys and girls 14 years of age and under. We strongly request participants to be in proper
costumes. Judges will be looking for unique concepts and effort.
Arti Plate Design: Saturday 27th September @ 8pm promptly
Competition is open to children and adults. We would like to request our Elders to perticularly encourage children to take part in decorating an Arti plate.
Traditional Dress Code: Friday 3rd October
We encourage everyone to wear Maher traditional clothes on this evening. Ladies will have an opportunity to perform a customary Raasado and the Gents can play Dandia-Raas to the dhol.
Dance and Dress Competition Final: Friday 3rd October
Following last year’s success, there will be an opportunity for everyone to take part in a healthy competition. Please note, winners will be selected on a daily basis and finalists will be required to perform in Maher traditional clothes on Friday 3rd October.
Raffle: Friday 3rd October
Raffle draw with 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes will be held at 11pm.
Lok Dairo: Saturday 20th September @ 7pm till late (open to all communities)
Agenda: Gujarati lok geet and bhajan
Tickets: £5.00 per person
Sharad Purnima: Saturday 11th October @ 7pm till late (open to all communities)
Agenda: Arti, Garba, Dandia-Raas, 3-Tadi, Heech, Ranjanyu, Sanedo (Mix)
Dress Code: Red/White Traditional (Optional)
Tickets: £5.00 per person
We recommend for tickets to be purchased in advance due to popularity of the music group and to avoid disappointment on the day. Tickets can be purchased from the following places:
1) The Maher Centre, 15 Ravensbridge Drive, Leicester Tel: 0116 2425360
2) Radia’s Superstore, 121-129 Melton Road, Leicester Tel: 0116 2669409
3) Shree Hindu Mandir, St. Barnabas Road, Leicester Tel: 0116 2464590
4) Geeta’s Fast Food, 20 Melton Road, Leicester Tel: 0116 2669003
Diwali: Saturday 1st November @ 6pm (for Mahers only)
This year, we will be hosting a social evening gathering with music and a buffet dinner. Further information of this event will be made available during Navratri and updated on www.maheronline.org
Important Information
Community ID Cards
We anticipate you will have organised a photo ID card for you and members of your family. The photo ID card will be required by anyone over the age of 18 for access during Navratri. However, if you or a family member still require a photo ID card, please find below details of how to organise one. Note, you must apply by no later than Wednesday 24th September to receive your ID cards in time for Navratri.
To apply, you simply need to provide a passport size photo for each member requiring ID card together with copy
identification and address proof. Please note, we will not need to retain your identification. (If available, please provide copies of share certificates as this will speed the process up).
To apply for photo ID card, you have two options:
1) Apply in person at the Maher Centre either by attending the centre or one family member may attend on behalf of other members in the household; or
2) By posting copy ID and address proof together with passport sized photos for each application (ensure to write
full name on back of photos). Do not send original documents to us in the post as this is not required and we
will not be held liable for loss and/or misplacement.
Please note rules:
• Everyone in the community will require either a photo ID card or Navratri access pass
• Each shareholder will get a free photo ID card with his/her membership details allowing him/her free entry into
Navratri
• Each household with at least 1 shareholder will be entitled to free Navratri passes for their IMMEDIATE family
members living in the same household
• Everybody over the age of 18 who is not a shareholder, living away or is not entitled to have a free access pass will be required to purchase tickets for entry as follows:
 £5.00 per day (per person)
 £50.00 for 9 day family pass (family members in the same household)
 £30.00 for a 9 day pass for single parents or individuals
• Exemptions / concessions only apply to under 18s, OAPS/60+, people with a disability who will not require a pass or a ticket
Point of contact: Rambhai Godhania
Available from: The Maher Centre, 15 Ravensbridge Drive, Leicester, LE4 2BZ
Contact: ram@mahercentre.com or 0116 242 5360
Open: Mondays – Fridays 5pm till 9pm / Saturdays 12pm till 7pm from Monday 1st September to Sunday 21st September 2014
Shareholder
There is a request to everyone who has not yet purchased the available shares to do so. Upon the purchase of the £300 membership share, discounted venue bookings will be offered as well as community events such as Navratri being free.
Membership will also become restrictive in the near future. Further information, payment options and application forms are available at our centre.
Security and Parking
For your own safety, please be advised to follow instructions carefully in the car park. Children should be supervised at all times. The security staff will not hesitate to remove anyone from the premises under the influence of alcohol or any intoxicating substances. Please be aware, these events are cultural and we should avoid generating any negative impression in front of children.
Sponsorship
There are many local businesses that are supporting this year’s Navratri. Should you wish to sponsor any of the events and/or include information about your business/trade then contact Vivek Khistariya on Tel: 0116 2425360 or vivek@mahercentre.com 
Volunteers / Engaging the Youth / Community Talent
We are often approached by individuals with ideas and suggestions to better engage the Samaj. We value your input and would like to deliver your expectations. We have a team of dedicated volunteers who do their utmost best to organise activities and events, however, there is still more that can be done. We request anyone wishing to volunteer or help in any form with their time, experti
se or financially to contact us.
Achievements
There are many talented individuals within our community who have a portfolio of achievements. Please do contact us should you wish to share any information about academia, careers or personal achievements that maybe of inspiration to our Samaj.
On behalf of The Leicester Maher Community Association, our sincere thanks and we look forward to seeing you very soon!
Nagajanbhai Bapodara
Leicester Maher Community Association
To create unity, promote Education, Culture and Activity
15 Ravensbridge Drive Leicester LE4 0BZ Tel: 0116 2425360
Charity No: 1039128
>> Click here to download full pdf version
— Gujarati version —

LUTON & DUNSTABLE MAHER COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

Dear Maher Brothers and Sisters living in Luton, Dunstable and surrounding areas,
We take great pleasure in inviting you to celebrate the following festivals –

Navratri 

Dates and times are as follows:
25-09-2014    Thursday      7:00pm Till Late
26-09-2014    Friday            7:00pm Till Late
27-09-2014    Saturday       7:00pm Till Late
28-09-2014    Sunday         7:00pm Till Late
02-10-2014    Thursday      7:00pm Till Late
03-10-2014    Friday            7:00pm Till Late
To be celebrated at:
Lewsey Farm Learning Centre, 92 Tomlinson Avenue, Luton, LU4 0QQ  
All brothers and sisters are invited to attend this festival to help make it a joyous occasion.
 
Sharad Poonam 
Date and time is: 11-10-2014    Saturday  7:00pm Till Late
To be celebrated at: Lewsey Farm Learning Centre, 92 Tomlinson Avenue, Luton, LU4 0QQ     
This event follows on from last years success, we hope that all brothers and sisters will attend and help make this a joyous occasion that we continue to have for many years to come.
The traditional dress code for this festival is Red/White, but this is optional.
 

Diwali and New Years Party

Date and time is: 25-10-2014    Saturday 7:00pm Till Late
To be celebrated at: Lewsey Farm Learning Centre, 92 Tomlinson Avenue, Luton, LU4 0QQ   

Food will be served

 
N.B. All parents are asked to look after their children whilst attending the festivities. By doing so you will ensure that the samaj does not need to pay for any damages caused by the children.

The best pound-for-pound boxer in the world Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather Jr will visit Leicester to meet fight fans next month.
The undefeated American will appear at the Maher Centre, in Ravensbridge Drive, Leicester city centre, on June 18, as part of a tour of a UK.
Fans will get a chance to ask questions and have their photos taken with the 37-year-old five weight world champion on the night.
Former WBO cruiserweight champion and Sky Sports presenter Johnny Nelson will host the black tie evening, which costs between £100 and £300 to attend.

In a statement, Mayweather Jr, said: “I am looking forward to meeting some of my UK fans in Leicester.
“The evening promises to be a good occasion particularly as I can battle out some questions with Johnny Nelson. Watch out Leicester, I’m coming for you!”
Excited boxing fan Edward Reid, 35, from Oadby, said Mayweather was his idol.
He said: “I can’t wait. I love Floyd Mayweather. If I was brave enough to box I’d want to be just like him.
“I’m definitely going – I don’t care how much it costs.”
Fans have already paid big money to see Mike Tyson, Joe Calzage and Ricky Hatton at similar events held in the city.
But Shane Whitfield, director of K Kong Events, which is organising the occasion, said this would be the biggest yet.
He said: “This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet one of the world’s modern day sporting legends. We anticipate boxing and sports fans from across the UK will travel to Leicester to see Mayweather.
“As the most respected and feared boxer of our generation and a successful businessman to boot, we’re sure the evening will pack some punches.”
Former Leicester City captain Steve Walsh, who jointly runs K Kong Events, which organised the event, said: “When someone offered us this opportunity we almost snapped their hand off.
“The Maher Centre is a fantastic venue and it should be an absolutely amazing occasion.”
Floyd Mayweather Jr is reportedly worth $300million and is said to be the world’s richest sportsman.
He recently successfully defended his WBC and WBA Super welterweight titles against Argentine power puncher Marcos Maidana.

For more information, or to buy tickets for the event, visit: www.kkongevents.com or call 0116 216 0631.
Article credit: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Floyd-Mayweather-visit-Leicester-month/story-21093086-detail/story.html

Dear Samaj Members,
As the serving group of the community, we would like to meet with members of our Samaj to discuss, plan and decide any additional events we could possibly hold this year. So far we have the following events planned for this year;

• Holi
• Beej
• Navratri
• Diwali
• Children’s Christmas Party
• New Year’s Eve Party

We understand that there are many ideas within our Samaj. People often make suggestions of the types of events that could/should be organised and would therefore like to discuss possibilities based on the needs of our Samaj. We are planning to meet at the Maher centre on Thursday 27th March at 8pm.
We will discuss and brainstorm ideas followed by clear decisions such as which events to hold, possible dates, venue and which volunteers to lead each event.
Following this, we will communicate the information / details of each event to the community via our next edition of the Parivar magazine that will be distributed at the beginning of April.
We welcome input and assistance from anyone keen to be involved so please feel free to come along if you have any ideas and can volunteer to make these events a success for the community.
For any questions or further information please contact Pratapbhai Odedra on 07711603538.
Thanks & Regards,
Leicester Maher Community Association