Our story
We are a dedicated team committed to crafting exceptional experiences. Our focus lies in providing reliable and innovative solutions, driven by a deep respect for quality and a genuine desire to exceed expectations.
Our history
From modest beginnings, we've grown through unwavering dedication and a commitment to continuous improvement. Each step has reinforced our core belief in the power of collaboration and the importance of integrity. We're passionate about what we do, and we're excited to share our story with you.
Our services
Rumi wrote of a field beyond right and wrong — a place where we finally meet each other as we truly are.
Blossom is that field.
No forms at the gate. No language you have to leave behind. No part of you that isn't welcome. Just chai, and open arms, and the quiet, stubborn belief that every soul carries something worth listening to.
Everything below — the Village, the Kitchen, the Community Box, the walks and the stories and the circles of grief and joy — is one more corner of that field.
Meet us there.
Stories shape us.
Long before we had services or systems, we had stories. Around fires. Over chai. In grandmother's kitchen. In the poetry our elders carried across oceans in their mouths. Stories are how our communities have always made sense of pain, passed down courage, and reminded each other that no one walks alone.
We understand this — because we come from it. We've sat in these kitchens, cried at these funerals, celebrated at these weddings, held these hands.
So when we bring you Sahir, living with dementia in Punjabi — or Farzana, walking out of an abusive marriage — or Arif, facing cancer — or Paro, carrying the weight of two worlds — we're not performing. We're remembering. We're honouring. We're saying to someone, somewhere: we see you, because we've been you.
That's something older, and softer, and stronger than anything a leaflet could ever hold. And it's how we heal.
In a crisis
Meeting Azizi Sahib
Sohail Ahmed — A Biography
Sohail Ahmed (Punjabi: سہیل احمد), widely known by his on-screen alter-ego "Azizi", was born on 1 May 1963 in Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan. He is a Pakistani actor, comedian, and director whose career spans nearly four decades across television serials, films, and comedy stage plays, principally based in Lahore.
Family Background
Sohail comes from a literary and civic-minded family. His maternal grandfather, Faqir Muhammad Faqir (1900–1974), was a philanthropist and writer known as "Baba-e-Punjabi" ("father of Punjabi") for authoring more than 40 books in the Punjabi language. His father, Mian Muhammad Akram, served as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Gujranwala. He has three brothers: Javed, a journalist and poet, and Aurangzeb and Junaid, both teachers — with Junaid Akram also being a published author of Punjabi literature.
His son, Hamza Sohail, an MBA from London, is also an actor, having made his debut in 2021 with Hum TV's Raqeeb Se.
Career Overview
Sohail's television career began in the late 1980s, and most of the television serials in which he has appeared were originally on PTV. He built an equally rich stage career in parallel, becoming known for his improvisation skills and preference for spontaneous, impromptu dialogue during comedy shows. His film debut came in 1990 with the Punjabi picture Gori Diyan Jhanjaran, and he later appeared in commercially successful Pakistani films including Punjab Nahi Jaungi (2017), Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 (2018), London Nahi Jaunga and Tich Button (both 2022). In 2022 he also made his Indian Punjabi debut in Babe Bhangra Paunde Ne.
The turning point in his fame came in January 2009, when Sohail began playing the character Azizi on the Dunya News show Hasb-e-Haal, delivering humorous commentary on social issues, current affairs, and other topics. He developed the character in collaboration with his co-anchor Aftab Iqbal when the show launched. Azizi's mix of satire and Punjabi wit made Hasb-e-Haal one of the most-watched political-comedy programmes in Pakistan and turned Sohail into a household name across South Asia and the diaspora.
Television Dramas
Late 1980s – 1990s (PTV era)
- Sooraj Ke Sath Sath (1988) — as Munshi Mehar Dad
- Fishaar (1990) — as Malik, a student leader
- Raig Zar (1990) — as Murad
- Aik Din "Saboot" (1992) — as Baba Barkat
- Haweli (1992) — as Aslam Pardesi
- Din (1992) — as Badruddin
- Nashaib (1992) — as a doctor
- Zakham (1993) — as Zahoor (Zed)
- Shab Daig (1993) — as Mister Sajjad Shah
- Manchalay Ka Sauda (1994) — as Umair
- Takmeel (1994) — as Nawaz
- Ehsan (1994) — as Younus
- Premesher Singh (1994) — in the title role
- Lawrence of Thalabia (1994) — as Maskeen
- Eendhan (1995)
- Dukh Sukh (1995) — as Mehboob
- Raiza Raiza (1995) — as Naseeb Muhammad
- Ranjish (1996) — as Ishaq
- Apne Aur Sapne (1996) — as Abdul Qadeer
- Home Sweet Home (1998) — as Bhai Mian
- Ghareeb-e-Shehar (1999) — as Chaudhry Ashraf
2000s
- Kajal Ghar (2001) — as Chaudhry Riasat Ali
- Shanakht (2003)
- Sussar In Law (2005) — as Chaudhry Akbar
- Malangi (2006)
- Kharidar (2006) — on ATV
- Choki # 420 (2008) — on Aaj TV
- Juda (2008) — on ATV
2010s onward
- Shaam (2010) — as "Yes"
- Ullu Baraye Farokht Nahi (2013) — as Ishaq Malkana, on Hum TV
- Chaudhry and Sons (2022) — as Chaudhry Dildar Ali Hoshiarpuri, on Geo Entertainment
- Jeevan Nagar (2023) — as Babbar Shah / Laali Guru, on Green Entertainment
- Standup Girl (2024) — as Ustad Ameer Khan Sahab
Comedy / talk shows
- Hasb-e-Haal (2009–present) — as Azizi, on Dunya News
- Parody Punch (2017) — on ARY Digital
Honours
The Government of Pakistan has recognized Sohail's contribution to the arts with two of the country's major civilian awards:
- Presidential Pride of Performance (2011)
- Sitara-i-Imtiaz — Star of Excellence (2013)
BLOSSOM GROUP
A community group — powered by chai, courage, and the belief that everyone deserves to be seen.
We stand with the people the system too often forgets — working-class communities, ethnic minority communities, anyone facing discrimination, isolation, or a door that keeps closing in their face. We understand this, because we come from it. These are our streets, our kitchens, our languages, our losses.
So we don't wait for people to find us. We find them. Across London and parts of Essex, in every language our communities speak, we go where the need is — and we stay long enough to matter. Every culture, every walk of life, every colour, every story is welcome here. "Hard to reach" isn't a description of our communities. It's a description of a system that stopped trying. We just kept walking.
From the Togetherness Village to the Community Box. From Yoga 4 All to Billu's Kitchen. From bereavement cafés to storytelling bazaars. Every corner of our work says the same quiet thing:
You matter. You belong. You are home.
And because the knowledge our communities hold is too important to stay unseen, we bring it to the table too — working alongside academics to turn lived experience into evidence. So what our people have always known isn't just felt around kitchen tables. It's recognised, respected, and finally acted on.
This isn't a service. It's infrastructure.
This isn't pity. It's power.
This isn't tokenism. It's transformation.
It's understanding — and it's contagious.
ZAHRA ON THE BLOSSOM GROUP
Nasreen K. — Southall
"I've never seen a community group like Blossom — they actually come to YOU! They found my auntie when nobody else did. Absolute lifesavers, honestly can't recommend them enough! "
Gurdev Singh — Ilford
"I came to this country in 1978, worked in factories for 40 years, and after my wife passed last year I felt truly alone for the first time in my life. My son is in Manchester, my daughter is in Canada, and my flat felt like a museum of a life that was over. Then my neighbour dragged me to a Blossom session and honestly — I cried in the car park before going in. But the moment I walked through that door and heard the Punjabi laughter and smelled the chai, something switched back on inside me. Now I go three times a week. Blossom didn't just give me a group — they gave me a reason to put my shoes on in the morning. Rab tuhanu khush rakhe."
Rukhsana B. — Redbridge
"Finally an organisation that GETS IT! The passion in every word on this page is contagious. So proud to be part of the Blossom family — keep shining! "
Yasmin Akhtar — Ilford
"I left an abusive marriage with two babies, no English worth speaking of, and £43 in a Post Office savings account. For years I thought of myself as a 'survivor' — which felt heavy, like a label you drag around. Then I sat in a Blossom session where they spoke about the hero's journey and something cracked open in me. I wasn't just surviving. I had crossed oceans. I had fought demons. I had built a whole life from nothing for my children. I was the hero. I sob writing this because nobody had ever told me that before. Blossom told me. Blossom sees me."
Meet Sahir
At Blossom Group, we'd like to introduce you to someone very special to us — Sahir.
Sahir is 87 years old. He walks with a beautifully carved cane that shows off his classy vibe, and he carries a lifetime of stories, music, and culture with him wherever he goes. He speaks Urdu, Punjabi, and English — though nothing beats the warmth of his mother tongue for him. These days, Sahir lives with dementia. But he isn't alone. His daughter, Laado, is right there by his side, making each day a little brighter.
Sahir is one of our most beloved creations. He is a character we brought to life to reach people where mainstream services often can't — because we know that in our communities, some conversations are hard to start. Dementia. Memory loss. Ageing. Family responsibility. Loneliness. These are the things that sit heavy on people's hearts but rarely get spoken about out loud.
So we created Sahir to speak about them for us. Through drama and storytelling, in people's own languages and within their own cultural experience, he opens the door. People don't feel lectured by Sahir. They feel understood by him. They see their father in him. Their grandfather. Their neighbour. Themselves.
His first three stories — his journey with dementia, told in Punjabi — are already out, and his community on social media is growing every day.
And here's the exciting part: Sahir is only the beginning. 🌱
Over the coming months, he'll be joined by more characters — each one rooted in real lived experience, each one created to spark honest conversations about the health and social issues that matter most to our communities. A growing cast. A growing story. A growing movement.
Every character we create is inspired by someone's real experience. We protect identities — always. But we keep the heart of the story, because that's where the healing lives.
Follow Sahir's journey and stay close. There's so much more to come.
How You Can Help
Being on Universal Credit or any kind of benefit is no joke, especially during holidays. Kids want to go out, want a meal, the family needs a break, and everywhere you look—oho ho ho ho—the prices! One trip to a theme park and your wallet is crying louder than you are.
But don’t worry, I’ve got something for you. My guide to getting cheap tickets, places where children can eat free, enjoy activities, and have days out—because fun shouldn’t only belong to rich people.
This resource shows you how to enjoy attractions without burning a hole in your pocket:
👉 Cheap Days Out for People on Universal Credit – 2025 Update
Check it out, save some money, and still make those happy memories. Because laughter and fresh air are not luxuries—they’re necessities.
Blossom Groups – Helping You Live, Even on a Budget.
(And don’t forget, when the prices shock you, just say it with me: Oho Ho Ho Ho!)