Students given free curries at Langar event

Students Hannah, Holly and Victor said the event felt like things were getting back to normal after Covid

Students at Keele University were treated to more than 800 free meals as part of a Langar offering.

Members of the Sikh Society dished out vegetarian curries in an event designed to bring communities in Staffordshire together.

Langar is a community kitchen which offers free vegetarian food to anyone regardless of faith, gender, age or status.

Society president, Gujivan Sohal, said: "It's great to see so many different aspects of our community all come together.

Society president Gurjivan Sohal hoped the event showed love to the community

"For us in Sikhism, we believe in community, love and passion so this is one way that we can show that," he told BBC Radio Stoke.

The university has said 300 more dishes were served than last year

Sofia, a neuroscience student from Eastern Europe said she enjoyed learning about other cultures at the event on Tuesday.

She added: "Where we're from we didn't learn about this religion in school. We were just curious."

Hannah, who is studying Education and Sociology, commented: "Being here sitting all together - it's really nice. I think we've lost that since Covid."

Sandra, Katie and Sofia 'wanted to see how another religion works and learn a bit more.'

"People supporting each other and eating together now is so uncommon, people don't really eat lunch together and students will just go and sit in the library and eat while working, so it's nice to have a break and get together," another student said.