VALE of Glamorgan resident and chairman of the Sikh Gurdwara in Cardiff, Gurmit Singh Randhawa, has been awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours List.

Mr Randhawa, 65, from Walterston, just outside Barry, has received the honour for services to community cohesion within the Vale of Glamorgan. As well as being chairman of the Gurdwara, a registered charity, Mr Randhawa has been a prominent figure in improving relations between different faiths and ethnic groups across both the Vale and wider Wales, as well as bringing together Sikh communities from across the country.

A former lawyer, Mr Singh is also a director of anti-discrimination body Race Equality First and helped to establish the Sikh Council of Wales two years ago.

Having taken over leadership of the Cardiff Gurdwara several years ago, Mr Randhawa successfully secured funding to transform the building into a multi-purpose community facility which now, as well as acting as a place of worship, provides educational classes for children, yoga, coffee mornings and offers free advice services to those in need.

The £700,000 project was masterminded and driven by Mr Randhawa for three years, after the charity had bought a disused and dilapidated motor repair garage next door to the original building. In redeveloping the old garage, not only has it brought about a much-needed service for local Sikhs to come together and practice their faith, but it has also helped rejuvenate an up and coming area of Cardiff.

Mr Randhawa said that while he was very humbled to receive the recognition, it was the success that he and the community had achieved that was the true reward.

"I’m very humbled, certainly it is good to be recognised," said Mr Randhawa.

"I think it is always honourable for somebody to be recognised. I don’t personally think that I deserve it, it’s the support of the community that is the backbone. You need a leader and if the people support it, you can take that wherever you want."

Mr Randhawa will be presented with his MBE in a ceremony early next year.