Sikhs in Bristol will be donating blood this week as part of a national campaign.
Until November 1, Sikhs up and down the country will visit donation clinics. This is inspired by the actions of human rights campaigner, Surat Singh Khalsa, who is currently on hunger strike in India to protest against the mistreatment of Sikh political prisoners.
Bristol Sikhs are keen to get involved.
One Bristol man, Dilawer Potiwal Singh, or DP, told the Bristol Post why it was important that the thousands of Sikhs who live in Bristol should get involved in the campaign.
The 45-year-old Stapleton resident said: "I have been moved by the images of Bupa Surat Singh Kalsa over the past months. Blood donation saves lives and we are sure that hundreds of Sikhs will participate.
"This is regarded as a small sacrifice compared with Bapu Surat Singh's hunger strike to highlight issues in India.
"I would urge all Sikhs to donate blood and play their part in this campaign."
Mr Singh gave blood at the Bristol Blood Donor Centre today - an action of "justice" and something that is ingrained in Sikh culture.
Following the donation he went to the Bristol Sikh Temple in Fishponds Road to persuade others to follow suit.
"We have a strong community of Sikhs in Bristol, so it's important they all get involved," he said.
Surat Singh Khalsa is an 82-year-old American resident and Indian native.
He has been on hunger strike for 281 days in Punjab in an attempt to raise awareness about the Indian government's treatment of Sikh political prisoners.
Pictures of a frail Singh Khalsa have circulated social media.
And the current situation in Punjab - the homeland of Sikhs - is unstable.
On October 14, Punjab police fired over 200 gunshots towards protesting Sikhs. Two people were killed.
This prompted another campaign to kick-off - Sikh Lives Matter, which is also popular on social media.
Protest messages are coming not just from India but other countries, most notably the UK.
On the BBC One Sunday Morning Live programme a Sikh man interrupted the presenter to say that the treatment of Sikhs in Punjab should be reported. The presenter told him he would be taken off the show unless he was quiet.
Chaz Singh, the spokesperson for the campaign in the southwest and someone with close ties to the Bristol temples said: "I would urge that Sikhs carry out this small task in order to reflect the Sikh values of giving."
