Shropshire Star

16 vibrant photographs from Wellington's first Festival of Colours

A colourful celebration of love and community took place in Wellington.

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Telford's newly-founded Dharm Association held its first ever Festival of Colours on Sunday in a celebration of love and community.

Dozens of people gathered at Wrekin College to take part in a Holi festival event.

Holi is one of the most vibrant festivals in the Hindu calendar and is usually celebrated in February or March across India, Nepal and throughout south Asian diasporic communities.

The colourful festival, with dancing, singing and throwing of powder paint celebrates spring, love and new life.

Lalita Kumari of the Dharm Association said she hoped that the inaugural event would bring "all the community and people together and spread the love".

"It's never been done in Shropshire," Lalita said. "It's very rare to hold these festivals without a larger Asian population - but that's the whole idea for us.

"We want to be more diverse, we want to bring people in from every community together to celebrate these kinds of events.

"Covid had killed a lot of community vibes, and we want to bring that back. We want to bring everyone back together into mixed communities.

"It went really well, we're very thankful to Wrekin College for letting us mess up their hall!"

Future events for the association, which hopes to soon become a charity, will be publicised on its Instagram page @dharm_association.

Wrekin College Sports Hall where the Dharm Association were hosting a Holi Festival of Colours
Jeremiah Kumar, 5, Krishan Kumar, Charlie Graham and Josiah Kumar, 2
Ramandeep Sharma
Malisha Grewal, Priyanka Sharma and Lalita Kumari
Malisha Grewal, Lalita Kumari and Steve Kumar
Ramandeep Sharma and Liz Dambrauskas
Steve Kumar, Balvinder Sharma, Sara Thomas and Angela Twigg
Steve Kumar and Lalita Kumari celebrate the Festival of Colours
Ludlow Cake Jar Company's Abby Anderson and Jack Waller
Steve Kumar and Shamma Rani
Mikayal Ashman-Douglas from Expressionz Boutique
Lalita Kumari from Dharm Association
DJ Jonny Mall
From Krafty Kompanions: Marie, Amy and Kerry
Dharm Association were holding a Holi Festival of Colours event
Shamma Rani and Ousha Rani from Kiran Desi Flame