Updated 5 May 2025
BGKT 2025 News
May 2025
Commemoration in Kendal of the Coronation Service at Carlisle Cathedral in 2023.
BGKT participated in the Service in Carlisle Cathedral.
“HM The King’s Coronation” by Jacquetta Gomes, WCF World Congress of Faiths Newsletter, (Summer 2023).
weblinkhttps://worldfaiths.org/news-and-blogs/
BGKT will participate in the commemoration in Kendal.
May 2025
Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) BGKT Vesak celebrations at Kendal Unitarian Chapel on Monday 12 May 2025.
The festival of Vesak commemorates the Birth, Enlightenment and Passing Away of the Buddha. The celebration included a Puja [religious ceremony]. People also participated at home.
weblinkhttps://www.buddhistgroupofkendal.co.uk/vesak/
May 2025
25th anniversary of Ketumati Buddhist Vihara celebration on 3rd May 2025 in Manchester.
BGKT Secretary Jacquetta Gomes Bodhicarini Upasika Jayasili wrote a page for the commemoration booklet.
weblinkhttps://www.ketumati.org/
March 2025
Loughborough University Alumni #LboroJourney includes Buddhism, BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal and Fire Chaplaincy in Jacquetta Gomes (sixth entry from the top).
weblinkhttps://www.lboro.ac.uk/alumni/lboro-journey/
March 2025
Buddhist Monk Venerable Mahalova Ariyadhamma (who lives in a forest in Sri Lanka) visited Kendal on 11 March 2025 to celebrate 10 years of him teaching BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) and Keswick Buddhist Group (Theravada). In the morning, he met the Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the Mayors Parlour in Kendal Town Hall. He visited the Unitarian Chapel Gardens. BGKT has met at the Unitarian Chapel since 1993.
Kendal Town Council Facebook Page
13 March 2025 The Mayor and Deputy Mayor were pleased to meet with Venerable Mahalova Ariyadhamma and members of the Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) in the Mayor’s Parlour to help celebrate ten years of Venerable Mahalova Ariyadhamma teaching at Buddhist Group of Kendal and Keswick Buddhist Group.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=959844246260704&set=a.266253088953160
At lunchtime He visited the Unitarian Chapel Gardens. He has visited the Chapel before in 2017 and 2023. BGKT has met at the Unitarian Chapel since 1993.
Kendal Unitarian Chapel, Connections, 14 March 2025, Edition 150
“Unitarian Chapel Celebration 10 Year Visit by Sri Lankan Monk” by Jacquetta, page 3.
weblinkhttps://kendalunitarians.com/connections/
February 2024
Buddhist Monk Venerable Mahalova Ariyadhamma (who lives in a forest in Sri Lanka) led a meditation and Buddhist Teaching meeting for Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) and Keswick Buddhist Group on 18 February 2025.
February 2025
WIHW World Interfaith Harmony Week 1 – 7 February 2025
weblinkhttps://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/
BGKT participated in WIHW World Interfaith Harmony Week events in Kendal. These are included on the WIHW website.
Website Events 2025https://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/event-calendar/
Event: WFDEIP World Interfaith Harmony Week events
weblinkhttps://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/usp_post/events-in-westmorland-and-furness-and-kendal-england-uk/
weblinkhttps://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/pec-events/westmorland-furness-dei-partnership-at-home-events/1738368000/
weblinkhttps://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/pec-events/westmorland-furness-dei-partnership-at-home-events/
weblinkhttps://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/pec-events/westmorland-furness-whiw-2025-event/
Website Reports 2025:https://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/reports-2025/
Report: Events in Westmorland and Furness and Kendal England UK
weblinkhttps://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/usp_post/events-in-westmorland-and-furness-and-kendal-england-uk/
Kendal Town Council Facebook Page
Deputy Mayor, Cllr Richard Sutton, was pleased to attend a World Interfaith Harmony Week event at the Town Hall yesterday. This included a very interesting activity session around Buddhism.
Kendal Town Council Facebook 6 February 2025
https://www.facebook.com/kendaltowncouncil
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=935192025392593&set=a.266253088953160
January 2025
Buddhist Monk Venerable Mahalova Ariyadhamma (who lives in a forest in Sri Lanka) led a meditation and Buddhist Teaching meeting for Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) and Keswick Buddhist Group on 21January 2025.
January 2025
Religion Media Centre
Religion news 23 January 2025
World’s first female Buddhist fire chaplain – in Cumbria
Jacquetta Gomes, a lifelong interfaith activist in Cumbria, has become the world’s first female Buddhist Fire Chaplain, offering spiritual support to firefighters and members of the fire and rescue service. She is the lead on interfaith in the Westmorland and Furness Diversity Equity and Inclusion Partnership and arranges events in Interfaith week, with Kendal known as the smallest town to hold an eight day weeklong programme of events. She is also a member of the World Congress of Faiths and active in her local community service volunteer group.
weblinkhttps://religionmediacentre.org.uk/news/religion-news-23-january-2025/