It is with great sadness to that the Gurkha Memorial Fund Foundation, our team in Nepal have reported ongoing dire circumstances within the Mechinagar region where they are based in relation to the pandemic.

The region is near to India and China who also continue to suffer from the consequences of Covid-19 by having an acute lack of oxygen to provide vital support to its citizens.

We have been working closely with the team and jointly feel we should respond. We are directly in contact with an oxygen facility in China to gather vital cylinders with oxygen which can be reused at a later stage and we have in turn despatched £3,500 by using our reserves as emergency relief within the scope of our humanitarian aims to acquire 50 units at this stage to provide immediate support. The government are attempting to supply however this is very limited and insufficient. We wish to continue and aim to achieve £15,000 in total to keep the supplies replenished.

Our team are 100% committed and have established transportation at no cost along with the manpower required and have clearance from the officials in view of the situation.

We donated an ambulance fully equipped during 2019 and as you can imagine it is operating to full capacity.

Below is a letter from the Mayor of Mechinagar Bimal Acharya with further details. Please share this message as much as possible as we are also hoping contributions may be forthcoming from businesses as well.

To donate please visit:  www.gurkhamemorialfund.org.uk/make-a-donation and use reference Appeal2021 or email rdjohnson2020@outlook.com or telephone Ray Johnson 07968 290352.

Although it was impossible to hold our annual Gurkha Memorial Day ceremony this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, It was so nice to see our local dignitaries paying their respects at the Gurkha Memorial in Christchurch Gardens today.

Thank you to Folkestone Mayor Michelle Keutenius, past Mayor Jackie Meade and GMF Chairman Dhan Gurung for attending.

The Gurkha Memorial Fund have published a booklet detailing their work over the course of their existence.

Gurkha Memorial Fund Achievements and Activities Report 2009-2020.

The Gurkha Memorial Fund Charity Dinner is postponed until further notice due to Coronavirus. We will update as soon as we are able.

The Gurkha Memorial Fund we are delighted to provide details of our forthcoming Charity Dinner Evening on 8^th May 2020.

On behalf of Mr. Dhan Gurung, Chairman of the Gurkha Memorial Fund UK, we invite you and your partner / friends to join us at the Leas Cliff Hall Channel Suite.

The cost is £30 pp and will include a delicious three course Nepalese meal. If you book a table of 10 the cost will be £280, providing a small reduction.

The meal will be provided by the same wonderful and excellent caterer as last year. Plated starter will include Onion Bhaji, Spring Rolls, Chicken Sliced Sausage, Samosa and Chutney. This will be followed by buffet style main course of Pilau and Plain Rice, Chicken Curry, Pork Curry, Lentils, Mixed Vegetables, Green Salad, Papadum, followed by Fruit Salad.

Following the success of last year’s special event we would recommend that you apply for your tickets as early as possible to avoid disappointment – the maximum number we can accommodate is 250 people.

Cheques should be made payable to “Folkestone Gurkha Memorial Fund” and sent to John Barber at the above address. Payments can be made by BACS – Folkestone Gurkha Memorial Fund; sort code 52-41-42; Account Number 47201290 – please email details to me. Cash payments can be made – contact John Barber. Tickets will be issued and only those with pre-paid tickets will able to gain access to the venue.

We are holding our next dinner at the Leas Cliff Hall once again on 8th May in the Channel Suite 6.30pm for 7.30 start. Save the date – details to follow.

On behalf of the Gurkha Memorial Fund we are delighted that the second computer project for schools in Nepal – the Joanna Lumley Computer Technology Centre was inaugurated recently. The handover Ceremony was arranged and commissioned by our sister group The Gurkha Memorial Foundation Nepal and Chairman Dhan Gurung to the Bir Balabhadra Secondary School at Thabang Village in Rolpa District situated within the western region of Nepal.

His Excellency the Vice  President of Nepal Mr Nanda Bahadur Pun officially launched this project alongside the Education Minister Hon Giriraj Mani Pokhrel and Energy Minister Hon Barsaman Pun on 23rd Feb 2020.  The project now enables the school to enjoy computer technology facilities to enable learning and interaction with other schools including the Turner School group situated in Folkestone.

Chairman Dhan Gurung commented “My humble thanks to all my trustees and respective project teams here in Nepal and the UK. It was a delight to see so many excited children experiencing the marvellous facilities as well as having the opportunity to meet officials. We are now hoping to extend facilities into other locations with their cooperation. The Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal also made a special commitment to ensure improved satellite links would be provided to compliment the project thus ensuring regular connection speeds which are currently sporadic. ”

UK project coordinator and trustee Ray Johnson commented:

“This month I had the pleasure to visit Nepal and it was so gratifying to see the terrific outcome of these vital projects. We continue to link remote schools in Nepal with the rest of the world and particularly here in schools in Folkestone. These facilities offer the opportunity to improve educational improvements and future employment prospects. As with the first project the usage will also be available to adults. On this occasion it was wonderful to see pictures of the children experiencing a computer for the very first time.”

It is possible to assist our projects by donating via BACS use reference GMFC2 to:

• Account Name: Folkestone Gurkha Memorial Fund
• Sort code: 52-41-42
• Account number: 47201290

or via www.gurkhamemorialfund.org.uk

or send cheque to GMF c/o 34 Julian Road, Folkestone, CT19 5HW and state if the donations can be Gift Aided to raise a further 25%.

We’d like to invite you, family and friends to join us at the Leas Cliff Hall Channel Suite.

The cost is f30 pp and will include a special three course Nepalese meal provided by The Namuna Gurkha Restaurant. The starter will be Onion Bhaji, Spring Rolls, Chicken Sliced Sausage, Samosa and Chutney. The main course Pilau and Plain Rice, Chicken Curry, Pork Curry, Lentils, Mixed Vegetables, Green Salad, Papadum, followed by Fruit Salad.

Following the success of last year’s special event we would recommend that you apply for your tickets as early as possible to avoid disappointment – the maximum number we can accommodate is 250 people.

Cheques should be made payable to “Folkestone Gurkha Memorial Fund” and sent to John Barber at 34 Iulian Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 5HW. Payments can be made by BACS – Folkestone Gurkha Memorial Fund; sort code 52-4L-42; Account Number 4720L29A – please email details to me. Cash payments can be made – contact John Barber (John Barber, 34, Iulian Road, Folkestone, Kent. CT19 5HW or barberjd49@qmail.com Tel: O7967 345901). Entry to the event will be by ticket only and these will be issued when names and numbers are confirmed.

This Charity Dinner is aimed at raising £9000 to continue our plans of opening a Computer Centre at another Secondary School in the more remote parts of Nepal with links to Folkestone Schools and providing desktop computers, training of teachers, powerpoint projector, printer, CCTV camera and two year technology support for schools in need of these facilities. We would be grateful for your further support to help us reach our target,

This year we were able to provide Fire Equipment and three days of District level training to 200 students in Jhapa Nepal at l{echi Nagar, We also provided and installed 5 laptops at Khutidangi Secondary School Jhapa,

Over Christmas the Gurkha Memorial Fund supported the local homeless community where a Gurkha Christmas Curry Lunch was held at the offices of Independent Insurance Services on Sandgate Road.

Over 15 people attended the lunch who very much appreciated the facility during a rather cold period. A full curry with soft drinks was provided along with Christmas crackers.

As we all know this is a time of year where the homeless do need support and along with other excellent facilities that exist in Folkestone it is also nice that the GMF team and others assisted within this project. The organisers also had the opportunity to chat to those that came along who gave their sincere thanks and were most appreciative of the hot, spicy food that was a tradition Himalayan meal.

Dhan Gurung the chairman commented:

“I was so pleased with the turnout and the feedback received along with all those who assisted with the Gurkha curry preparation and meal.

“I would like to say thank you to the trustees including Alka Gurung and Hema Thapa along with Ray Johnson for providing the venue facilities. In addition I am grateful for the support received from both John and Brenda Duggleby.”

Recently the Gurkha Memorial Fund held its first litter picking project which was held in Folkestone Harbour on Saturday 15^th December 2018. The local Nepalese community came together along with the chairman Dhan Gurung to assist with collecting discarded litter within the harbour area.

It is now envisaged that the initiative will continue working closely with Folkestone & Hythe District Council who have appreciated the assistance on a quarterly basis or perhaps every two months as necessary.