Published: 10 November 2023
From: Community
A much-needed housing development named after the late Raj Sharma, who was twice Mayor of Â鶹´«Ã½, has been officially opened with an on-site ceremony.
The building, on Brighton Road in Southgate, was named in honour of Raj, who was elected to represent Southgate in 2014 and was Mayor of Â鶹´«Ã½ in 2016 to 2017 and 2019 to 2020.
Raj Sharma House, a three-storey building, has 20 flats providing vital housing for Â鶹´«Ã½. The scheme has had a positive impact on housing supply, demand for social housing and homelessness.
Family and friends of Raj, along with councillors and council officers, gathered to mark the official opening of the building. Raj’s wife, Bhavna, and Councillor Jilly Hart, Mayor of Â鶹´«Ã½, gave short speeches.
Raj was born in Delhi, India, in 1952 and moved to Â鶹´«Ã½ in 1992, where he started working as a Neighbourhood Youth Worker at Â鶹´«Ã½ Youth Centre and became Centre Manager at Â鶹´«Ã½ Youth and Community Centre.
It gives me great pleasure to be naming this building after the late Raj Shama. I knew Raj for more than 25 years through his work at the Â鶹´«Ã½ Youth Centre. His dedication to the youth of Â鶹´«Ã½ will be hard to match. But, as that youth grows up, Raj's legacy will live on and will be there for all to see. One of the biggest champions of the youth of Â鶹´«Ã½ will be sadly missed but will always be remembered through Raj Sharma House.
Councillor Jilly Hart
Mayor of Â鶹´«Ã½
Bhavna Sharma, Raj’s widow, said: “Through tireless dedication and unwavering commitment, Raj made a profound impact on the Â鶹´«Ã½ community. This recognition is a testament to the incredible hard work and the positive change he has brought to our town.
“We hope to continue his legacy through working with the young people of Â鶹´«Ã½ through Â鶹´«Ã½ Youth and Community Centre.â€
For more information about housing in Â鶹´«Ã½, visit our housing pages.
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