The Committee…

Domenico Sidoli

President

Domenico was born in Italy to parents who emigrated to South Wales in 1959 /1960. He is a practising English solicitor in London with experience in all the problems that being an emigrant brings.

He was the first President of the Associazione Parmigiani Val Ceno in the mid-1980s and continues to be an enthusiastic supporter of the Italian Community in the UK, and of retaining our Italian identity by maintaining close contact with our community in our valleys and Provincia.

Roberto Cardinali

chairman

Roberto Cardinali, Borgotarese, boarded the train to England in 1951 at the tender age of 13. Over a period of fifty years, he opened a total of 19 restaurants in London but always maintained a strong relationship with his homeland.

Through his ongoing work with Italian associations, he has rightly become recognised as a pillar of the Italian Community. Now retired from the restaurant business, he remains passionate that the next generation of young Italians, with children and grandchildren who have grown up in England, should fully understand the importance of our history.

Luigi Sidoli

Treasurer

A pillar of the Italian community, Luigi ‘Lou’ Sidoli was an active committee member of the Associazione Pellegrinesi UK, serving as Treasurer for many years before taking up the same role as a founder member of the Associazione Parmense.

A keen sports fan, Lou recognises how it can bring people together and was proactive in arranging football matches between the youth of Pellegrino, Varsi and Borgotaro against a team from London made up of second-generation Italian youngsters born in the UK.

Piero Zanelli

As a former President of the Associazione Parmigiani Valtaro, Piero’s commitment to the Italian community goes without saying.

His aspiration is that the younger generation, guided by the experience of their elders, continue to pave the way forward by keeping charitable aid at the forefront of the Associazione Parmense’s activities, whilst keeping alive the roots and traditions of our forefathers.

Gianni Casella

From an early age as a born and bred Londoner (both north and south of the capital) Gianni craved to help unite the two centres that existed within St Peters and Scalabrini. He saw Associazionismo as a great way to nurture a more united Italian spirit in London, as well as bringing friendships under one roof.

The various associations, which have now folded into the Parmense, championed the bond between London's Italian community and our roots in Italy (particularly our region). Gianni is proud to have been a part of this for over 4 decades – starting as a member of the Valtaro youth committee in the early eighties then graduating to the senior committee and becoming Secretary in the 90s, and latterly to a member of the Parmense. Each of these associations embraces tradition, the power of lasting friendships, as well as aiming to pass down the gift of belonging to our future generations – something which has always been close to Gianni’s heart.