Leicester: This year's BAPS 10km sponsored family walk and fun run was the most successful yet. Almost 500 participants came together in a spirit of unity and service to raise funds for BAPS Leicester and its two nominated charities; The Anthony Nolan Trust and The Special Olympics which is being held in Leicester in July this year.

The weather played its part as the day was blessed with warm sunshine, in sharp contrast to the weather forecast earlier in the week.

The route took walkers through a circuit from the current BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in the city centre, through Belgrave Road and Rushey Mead and back via Catherine Street.

During the opening ceremony, a cheque for £1001 was presented to the Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Dr Manjula Sood for the Lord Mayor's Special Olympics Appeal. In her address, she paid tribute to the community spirit, unity and commitment shown once again by the volunteers of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.

Also present was Sharon King, representing the Anthony Nolan Trust, which is being supported by BAPS nationally through all its centres. With 495 participants ranging from the ages of 5 to 85, she spoke of her astonishment at the number of people taking part and expressed her desire to further work with the organisers in the future.

She was touched by the enthusiasm on the faces of the participants, men, women and children.

This year, BAPS Leicester also held a Free Health Screening Clinic for participants between the ages of 25 and 65 to identify and quantify the risk factors for Heart Disease and Stroke, which is prevalent within the Asian community.

This was run and coordinated by a medical team including doctors, nurses and pharmacists.

Measurement of Body Mass Index, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol was followed by appropriate counseling by qualified medical practitioners on further management and appropriate referral to primary care.

More than 200 participants took advantage of this free medical screening, which now looks set to be a permanent fixture of the annual walk in Leicester.

BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha – headed by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj – is a worldwide community-based spiritual organisation recognised internationally for its humanitarian services, and dedicated to fulfilling the spiritual, cultural and social needs of people.

In the UK, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha is respected as one of the largest and most active Hindu organisations within the Indian diaspora.

It is particularly known for the acclaimed BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, London.