After inspiring thousands with online exercise videos and raising vital money for NHS charities during the COVID-19 pandemic, fitness personalities Rajinder Singh MBE and Pritpal Kaur – most popularly known as the Skipping Sikh and Hula Hoop Kaur – have upgraded their Mazda 323 for the all-electric Mazda MX-30 to continue their work to encourage fitness in children across the capital.
As long-standing Mazda owners, the West London couple in their 70s purchased a brand-new Mazda 323 back in 1998 and used the vehicle to transport essential hula hoop and skipping equipment across schools in London. Since the expansion of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) last year, the Skipping Sikh and Hula Hoop Kaur have relied on their daughter’s ULEZ-compliant Mazda2 for transport.
Recognising the importance of community spirit, London-based dealership group TW White & Sons has provided the all-electric Mazda MX-30 to ensure the duo can continue their volunteer work in schools and youth clubs for the rest of the year. With up to 1,137 litres* of boot space available for fitness equipment and a host of active safety technology beneficial when travelling through populated areas, the all-electric Mazda MX-30 will play an instrumental role for the couple’s altruistic work.
Commenting on the partnership with the Skipping Sikh and Hula Hoop Kaur, Jen Westwood, Group Marketing Manager at TW White & Sons, said: “We are thrilled to be able to support the Skipping Sikh and Hula Hoop Kaur. Their work in local schools and the wider community is vital in an age where it is becoming more apparent that our sedentary lifestyles are negatively impacting our health. They are an inspiration to all ages to get up and get moving and we hope that through the loan of the Mazda MX-30, Mazda’s first fully electric car, they will be able to continue with and expand on their fantastic work, all while travelling with zero emissions.”
In 2020 the Skipping Sikh gained popularity after recording daily uplifting exercise videos in his allotment to help the community stay active during the pandemic and created a skipping lockdown challenge to raise over £14,000 for NHS charities. The same year, the fitness personality was awarded an MBE in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to health and fitness, plus a Points of Light award from the Prime Minister.
Commenting on the activity, Rajinder Singh MBE, also known as The Skipping Sikh, said: “My father taught me how to skip at the age of six years old, and he was the inspiration behind my love for skipping and the importance of keeping healthy. I’m a fitness fanatic, I love to challenge myself with different strength exercises, skipping and running – I even skipped over the finish line after completing my first marathon at 74, and this year, I’m now preparing for my fourth marathon run. Fitness brings me joy and I want to share that happiness with my community, and I want to inspire others to keep moving, no matter your age.”
Adding, “We loved our Mazda 323, but with the added pressure on our family with the expansion of the ULEZ charges, we had to face the hard reality that we could no longer continue with the school visits. Just being able to do the community work that we do is what we live for. We are Sikh and as part of our faith, selfless Sewa (give back) is important and we love to serve others. We are truly grateful for this vehicle and the support from TW White & Sons so we can carry on with our fitness work for our community. It’s a real blessing to be able to visit schools and encourage children to skip and hula hoop with my wife, and the Mazda MX-30 will really help us to take our workshops further where we can start to travel up and down the country in a vehicle that’s safe, quick to charge and environmentally friendly”.
TW White & Sons has been established for 60 years and has three Mazda showrooms serving Greater London and the South East. With showrooms located in Weybridge, Bookham and Orpington, the family-run business has built a reputation for delivering first-class customer experiences and offers a one-stop solution for sales, servicing, parts and repairs for Mazda vehicles.
*Based on the Mazda MX-30 145ps Makoto featuring Bose surround sound system