On Remembrance Sunday at 11.00am, a cherry tree was planted in a nature reserve to mark the death of Surjit Athwal. Surjit was murdered in an honour killing in December 1998 when she was 27 years old.
Planting the tree was her sister- in-law, Sarbjit Athwal, founder of the charity True Honour and a Soroptimist with SI Epsom and District. Dr Clive Driscoll, Deputy Chair of True Honour, supported Sarbjit with the planting by preparing the area for the tree. Also in attendance were Veronica and Jenny from SI Epsom and District Club. The tree is planted near to a bench so that Sarbjit and anyone else visiting the cherry tree can sit and view it. The tree should blossom some time in the spring, with cherries growing in the summer. It is hoped that Soroptimists can visit the site during July to mark Surjit’s birthday.
You can read about Surjit’s death here: True Honour and our involvement with True Honour and two other domestic abuse charities, Reigate and Banstead Women’s Aid and East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services: Supporting Domestic Abuse Charities