About Weston Super Mare Association of Malayalees (WAM)
WAM is an organisation of Keralites who migrated to and settled in Weston-Super-Mare, United Kingdom. Malayalees are named after their mother tongue Malayalam, and are from the southwestern state of Kerala in India. Due to its green and diversified geography, along with the fully stretched stream of backwaters, the state`s tourism department honoured it with the slogan `God`s Own Country`.
WAM aims to bring the Malayalee community together in Weston-super-Mare, enabling social education, recreation and quality life to its members. WAM is determined to impart the values of heritage and culture to the new generation. It aims to create opportunities for people to showcase their talents and the exchange of innovative ideas among members. New immigrant health workers are given aid for easing into and settling with the local community and environment. Being based in the U.K., the association celebrates festivals of both Kerala and the United Kingdom. WAM closely works with the local authorities, charities and cultural organisations, also serving as part of the RENS (Race Equality North Somerset) Network in Weston-Super-Mare.
The Malayalee population in Weston-Super-Mare were without leadership and organisational set-ups until October 6th 2013. Many of Weston`s Malayalee citizens assembled in the Scout Hall and formed the association named WAM with a constitution. In August 2014, the association was officially established during the celebrations of our harvest festival Onam.
The then Hon. Lord Commissioner (HM Treasury) of the U.K., Mr. John Penrose MP, lit the inaugurating flame of our organisation. At the time, then President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, and then Hon. Chief Minister of Kerala, Mr. Oommen Chandy, greeted the occasion from India.
Since then, WAM serves to maintain its motto of `Our heritage, our pride` in and beyond our association. WAM strives to conduct various intergenerational activities. These include Sports Day, to promote physical and mental health, fundraisers and cultural programmes to bring social awareness to maintain a well-educated generation of British Malayalees.