WZO abode

After 30 years The World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO) headquartered in UK "will at last have a proper place from which to operate,” notes a press release from its president Sammy Bhiwandiwalla. He was referring to the recently acquired Bridge House property in Feltham, Middlesex, bought for £ 1.8 million.
Barely 2.5 km from Heathrow airport, well connected by road, bus, rail, tube and bus, the three-storey, L-shaped Bridge House with a stated floor area of nearly 10,000 sq ft was constructed around 1980, the same time when WZO came into existence. Currently used by a school, WZO will be given full occupancy next year. "Sitting in the middle of the somewhat posh areas of Richmond and Hampton,” the location of the property appealed to the WZO office bearers, particularly a public green in the front and a small pond surrounded with shrubs and benches. To the side is a public play area exclusively for young children and accompanying parents. Bridge House has its own parking facilities for 22 cars but to the rear of the property there is a prepayment public car park.

"Hopes and aspirations of having a place of our own took wing many years ago with loyal supporters and well-wishers donating towards a home for WZO but with escalating property prices this was a distant dream. The search for new premises eventually started in 2013” when Dr Abtin Sassanfar and his wife promised to donate £ 500,000 (Rs 50,000,000) to WZO. Vice president of the Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation and a veteran researcher of Zoroastrianism and the Avesta, Sassanfar has recently published his translation of the Gathas into Persian in a large boxed volume of 1,174 pages. Last October WZO received a further boost when "The Firuz Madon Foundation (FMF) whose aims and objects are similar to those of WZO promised £ 1,000,000 (Rs 100,000,000).” According to the Open Charities website, the trustees of FMF are Dr Parvis Fozooni, Shahpur Captain (WZO chairman) and Hosy Madon. Included in the FMF objectives are making grants to organizations, religious activities, other charities or voluntary bodies.
Whilst a subcommittee is currently drawing up structural plans that will be implemented from August 2016, WZO plans to occupy the ground floor and half of the first floor at Bridge House for itself and rent out the other areas, if possible. The ground level will primarily have a community hall to be used for seminars/lectures/religious classes/functions like navjotes and weddings plus WZO’s own fund-raising functions for multifarious charities. On the first floor they would like to establish an atash dadgah/setayash gah with an afringan and a permanent natural gas light where "all Zoroastrians and their families will be able to worship.”
A long needed office, storage space, committee meeting room and reference library will be the other facilities offered on this floor. Besides issues of Hamazor, the quarterly published by WZO, that will be available for reading on the premises they have appealed for books on Zoroastrian religion, culture and history in English, Gujarati or Persian to build up their private collection.
The renovation is expected to cost £ 750,000 (Rs 75,000,000) inclusive of proper heating and cooling systems that need to be installed as also a lift to serve the disabled and senior citizens. Currently a fund-raising initiative has been launched in the UK, US, Canada, Pakistan, India and New Zealand such that the new premises can be inaugurated in early 2017.
As reminds Bhiwandiwalla, "WZO has done much in its short history to safeguard Zoroastrians fleeing from oppressive régimes, to enhance, rejuvenate and bring prosperity within the community.” Giving credit to the "conviction, faith and resilience of our founding fathers, many of whom have left an indelible mark on the worldwide community in progress and moral rectitude,” the WZO president adds, "Please help us to continue with the good work. You can donate to WZO by visiting the website www.w-z-o.org and selecting ‘Property Fund.’ Alternatively you can send your cheque to your local WZO representative.” In US and New Zealand, donations are tax deductible. UK tax payers can ask for a Gift Aid Form.
"We are a long way from actually using the building as funds are sorely required for refurbishing and modifying the premises,” reminds Toxy Cowasjee in her editorial in the 50th issue of Hamazor (Issue 3, 2015). According to Cowasjee, "The goal of this journal is to contribute information, to stimulate interest in and extend knowledge of our great religion by presenting alternative viewpoints, communicating good values and to educate on diverse subjects.”