History

The approach by Reading’s Pakistani Community for a centre of their own was first made to me in 1984 as I was campaigning to be elected as a councillor for Park Ward in East Reading.  I promised the community that I would do all I could to deliver the centre although it would not be easy for me as the Conservatives were in control of Reading Borough Council.

After my election as a councillor I worked with senior members of the community including Dr Ejaz Elahi, Chaudri Bashir, Mr Jaffri, Sufi Khan, Altaf Khan, Raja Banaras and others to establish a community group that could represent Pakistanis in Reading and apply for funding for a new centre.  So in 1985 the Reading Pakistani Community Association was born and I even remember carefully constructing the official letterhead using old fashioned ‘Letraset’ transfers in the Acorn Bookshop in Chatham Street.  We next applied for funding from the government’s Urban Aid programme but unfortunately the Conservatives refused to prioritise the application and it was unsuccessful.  At the time we were pushing Berkshire County Council to release the Reading Technical College Annexe in Kings Road which was lying empty.  We had a lot of support from Park Ward County Councillor Adrian Hutton but in the end the building was sold commercially to the Sardar Palace Restaurant.

Various other buildings were looked at but neither Reading nor Berkshire Councils were willing to provide anything at less than a commercial rate.  In 1986 Labour won control of Reading Borough Council and I was appointed Chair of the Leisure Committee also with responsibility for community organisations.  We set about increasing the Council’s grants budget and appointed Community Development officers to work with the town’s community groups including the Reading Pakistani Community Association.  A little later St. Bartholomew’s Church put their hall in London Road up for sale and I persuaded Reading Borough Council to buy it for community use.  By now the Pakistani Community had the shared use of the new council Arts Centre at 21, South Street – the site of the former dole office.  The PCC was based here until 1993 with on a small upstairs office and joint use of the main hall.  It was not an ideal situation but it was a start.

The council refurbished Park Hall and it was often used by the Pakistani community for Eid Prayers, Koran classes and other events.  However, there were other existing groups who had been using the hall for many years who needed to be looked after.  Gradually these groups declined and the pressure from the Pakistani Community increased for a place of their own.  Following the election of Dr Abdul Razak as PCC Chair negotiations were successfully completed to move the PCC from South Street into Park Hall on the understanding that they would control the premises but still allow occasional bookings from other groups.

Funding was provided for a community/admin worker and in 1999 the building was renovated and extended to provide new toilets, offices and a larger hall.  By now it was a thriving community centre with computer classes, women’s groups, lunch clubs and whole host of activities.

I stepped down from the Council in 1996 and was elected to Parliament the following year so the main link between the Community and Council was provided by Christine Borgars who was also a Park Ward councillor.  Christine served on the Executive Committee and has been a tireless worker for the PCC, running the computer classes and assisting in many other activities.

The PCC grew from strength to strength and following Dr Razak the community elected Arif Kayani as Chair in 2000 and 2003 and last year elected Mohammed Saleem as chair together with a new executive committee.  I still hold Advice Surgeries in the hall just as I used to when I was a Park Ward councillor.  I have a great affection for the Centre having been involved from the first day that Dr Ejaz Elahi came to see me to ask for my help.  Long may it remain to serve the Pakistani community of Reading.