Gurkha Peace Foundation

We , Gurkha Peace Foundation, would like to hearly congratulate Ms. Amanda Cottrell , vice-president of Gurkha Peace Foundation, on being the duputy lieutenant of Kent. Moroever we would also like to congratulate her in receiving an honour degree from the University of Kent. We would like to wish you more suceses in the near future.

Gurkha Peace Foundation

Ms.Amanda Cottrell

Vice-president, Gurkha Peace Foundation

We, Gurkha Peace Foundation, would like to congratulate Ms. Amanda Cottrell, former high sheriff of Kent, for becoming an OBE in New year`s honour list for her services in promoting the county. She chairs visit kent, Fairbridge Kent, vice-president of the Canterbury Festivals and a trustee of Canterbury Cathedral and Kent wildlife . She has served as a magistrate for 20 years and has also been a school governor and county president of the Kent Girl Guides.

Bhimraj Tumbahangphe

Brian Staley

(Chairman, Gurkha Peace Foundation)

Littlebourne News

Date: Wednesday 27 October, 2010

What's immediate in Littlebourne

Littlebourne & District Royal British Legion. Our Remembrance Service will be at Ickham this year on Sunday, 14th November at 11am (meet at Ickham Church Lych gate at 10.45am). All are welcome to join us at this important service.

Lantern Parade We've recently received confirmation of funding to go towards the costs of the Littlebourne Lantern Parade and the preceding workshops.

The parade will be on Sunday 5th of December-very close to St Nicolas Day.We will be meeting at the War Memorial Hall at 4.pm but we will need some help from about 12ish to set up.The open workshops to build the lanterns will be held in the village hall on Tuesday 23rd November from 4pm-5.30pm and Sunday 28th November from 2pm-4pm for children aged 6+. We will be able to carry on for a bit longer if people need more time. (Parental supervision will be required for all events)

For both events it will be very much a case of more hands make light work so we'd appreciate all the help we can get. If anyone has any ideas or would like to be more involved this year please volunteer. Tel. Emma 728648 or email sacha.addley@btinternet.com

Littlebourne Afternoon Club At our October meeting Cllr Brian Staley and ex-Gurkha Bhim Raj gave us a very informative talk on the new Gurkha Peace Foundation, which inspired our members to hold a collection which raised a very generous £100 for the Foundation. At the next meeting on Tuesday 2 November Mr Colin Stevens will give us a light-hearted talk on the British Empire. All enquiries to Roz on 721605.

LITTLEBOURNE CHILDREN’S CENTRE offer access to services for parents; carers and children aged 0 – 5 years in your local community. Littlebourne Children Centre is temporarily based in Littlebourne Village Hall Meeting Room 2 while the new centre is currently being built at Littlebourne Primary School site in Church Road and should be ready early in 2011. Children’s centre activities may include some of the following:- Health Visitors running a ‘drop in’ clinic to advise and support new mothers.‘Stay and Play’ groups, Parent and Toddler groups run by the Community Involvement Worker to provide new mothers with opportunities to meet and the children to socialise.A coffee morning where parents/carers can find out about different forms of early education and childcare from the Children’s Information Service Outreach Officer.Other health professionals offering support and advice on speech and language or signposting parents/carers to the appropriate local services.

Support and advice for parents and children with special educational needs or disabilities from appropriate professionals. The children’s centre is used by Parents/carers, children and extended families. Local childminders. Other members of the local community. This year we have held numerous events for local families in the Littlebourne area such as:- Paediatric First Aid course for parents with a crèche

First Time Parents course baby Massage Group Sing and Sign Group, Mend Group

Parent and Toddler Groups Fun Day event Gazebo and play sessions in Littlebourne

What’s going on now? Parent and Toddler Groups, Thursday’s at Littlebourne Village Hall Handling Children’s Behaviour Course, Volunteering Opportunities

What’s coming up? Walk and Talk, Book Start Course, Locomotion Group, Christmas Parties! Groups/Services that meet the local need

To register with the Children’s Centre and receive your free welcome pack and a free 3* membership to Kingsmead Leisure Centre, please call/text the Littlebourne Children’s Centre on 01227 722764 or call Suzi for more info on 07872 416323.

ST Vincent’s Church 31st October 11.00am The Four Parishes Communion Service. 3.30pm Annual Memorial Service Choral Evensong for all Souls. November 3rd 9.30am Holy Communion.

Gurkha Peace Foundation Charity DinnerGurkha Peace Foundation Charity Dinner

A charity dinner hosted by the Gurkha Peace Foundation in Canterbury, Kent, raising funds for the street children of Nepal. For more information on the Gurkha Peace Foundation please visit their website - www.gurkhapeacefoundation.com We wrote the song on the video 'Street Kids' some time ago, for the street children of Brazil. It seemed apt to include it in this video as the plight of the street children of Brazil is much the same as in Nepal. All children deserve to have enough to eat and a place where they are safe and where they are respected, cared for and feel at home. We wish the Gurkha Peace Foundation the very best for the future and hope they will continue to gain support and raise awareness for their admirable cause and dedicated work. Maria & Paul www.maria-daines.com

link: http://wn.com/Gurkha_Peace_Foundation_Charity_Dinner

GURKHA PEACE FOUNDATION

Minutes of the Meeting of Prospective Trustees and Friends

18th September 2010

Present:

• Bhimraj Tumbahangphe                      
• Tul chhantyal                                        
• Dambar Giri 
• Santosh Thalang                                              
• Gopal Giri     

• Brian Staley
• Ron Flaherty
• Robert Brown                                    
• Charlotte MacCaul                                             
• James Walker 

ACTION

Welcome and Introductions:

Brian gave a brief history of the Gurkha campaign and its successful legal outcome. Mass demonstrations greatly helped and were supported by Peter Carroll and Joanne Lumley.

Gurkhas now have the right to settle in this country but the injustice relating to pensions remains.

Brian then introduced the British members and Bhim introduced the Nepalese representatives.

Apologies for Absence:

Kelly Marie Blundell, Annie Watsham, Chris Took, Ted and Helen Harrison, Season Prater, Lyn and Peter Carroll, James Flanagan and Amanda Cottrell.

Mission Statement:

It was agreed that this would be drawn up after the objectives of the charity were written and agreed. James to draft this. JW

1. The primary aim is to bring the Nepalese and British communities together by creating a cultural centre close to where Nepalese people have settled, i.e. Ashford/Folkestone. Other communities include those in Aldershot/Farnborough.
2. Provide basic education for the Gurkhas’ orphaned children in Nepal (presently 14 children are being supported).
3. Publicise the conditions of those who have suffered/are suffering from the effects of war.
4. Build support for the UN’s peace making charter.

 After discussion, it was decided to delete no.4 as being too broad, and to add an objective to continue the campaign for justice for the Gurkhas, notably in relation to pensions. It was agreed that objectives needed to be succinct and achievable. In relation to no.1, it was noted that it might be possible to work with an existing centre/organisation as an alternative to renting suitable accommodation. Working in partnership is also a very good means of attracting extra funds. Ron agreed to draft the objectives taking the discussion into account. RF

Amalgamation of Gurkha and Vietnamese Charities:

 After discussion and debate it was decided to ask the trustees of the Vietnamese charity if they would be willing to wind up this charity and transfer their funds to a ringfenced account with the Gurkha Peace Foundation charity. The aims and objectives of the Vietnamese charity are contained within objective 3 above. A written agreement between the two charities would be needed. With these points clarified, the Nepalese representatives agreed to the amalgamation. With these funds transferred to the Gurkha Peace Foundation, this charity would have the required financial base to register with the Charity Commission. Brian was thanked for his efforts to bring this about. Brian agreed to deal with the Vietnamese charity and James will deal with the legal issues to comply with the Charity Commission’s rules. BS & JW

Financial Report:

The Gurkha Peace Foundtion has two accounts, the balance in the current account is £??and in the deposit account it is £?? The Vietnamese charity’s funds stand at £ ?? giving a total of ?? It was suggested that a membership fee of £10 be charged per annum.

Specific Responsibilities:

It was agreed that there should be two chairs and two vice-chairs, one Nepalese and one British to obviate any language problems. The following positions and responsibilities are as below:

Co-Chairs: Bhim and Brian]

Vice Chairs: Gopal and Amanda Cottrell

Secretary: Charlotte

Treasurer: James Walker

Membership Secretary: Robert Brown and Nepalese representative

Legal Advisor: James Walker

Political Advisor: Chris Took (presently seeking info from MOD under Freedom of Info. Act)

Educational Liaison: Ron Flaherty. Lauren Salisbury also available to help

E-campaigner: James Flanagan

Website: Kelly Marie Blundell (Vice Chair of Ashford Branch of the Foundation)

PR/Marketing/Leaflets: Peter and Lyn Carroll. David Salisbury also available to help with videos.

It was also agreed that it was crucial to have a fundraising committee and it was agreed that the vice Chairs should chair this and call on Annie Watcham’s business promotion skills.

James agreed to deal with registration with the Charity Commission as soon as all the requisite paperwork was in order (Constitution, mission statement, aims and objectives, finances).

Date and Time of Next Meeting:

It was decided that another meeting would need to be convened to agree all the above points before calling a general meeting and giving a presentation to potential members and trustees.

source = http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/digital_editions/Page3_12e31fd8-9bed-408e-aea4-bcc89ee17a32_b86b492f-56c3-4c03-b1db-3dc2a1a54de1.aspx

KENT NEWS: A tragic death has prompted a group of Gurkha women to improve their English to help them integrate into British life.

Bhimraj Tumbahangphe, from the Gurkha Peace Foundation who helped organise the courses, said: “It came from the Gurkha wives group. One of the ladies from our community was with her husband when he had a heart attack.

“She dialled 999 on her mobile phone but was unable to tell the operator where she was. Because it was a mobile phone the emergency services were not able to trace the call and the ambulance arrived too late. We did not want anything like that to happen again.”

The courses run on Saturdays and Sundays at International House in Ashford.

At the class I attended more than 40 women packed out the office room eager to make a start learning their first words.

Ashford now has the second largest community of Nepalese people in the country and the need for families to learn English will grow as more settle in the UK.

Andrew Owen lead tutor said: “I feel very privileged to be involved in this process from the start. Everyone is highly motivated and we are now moving beyond just conversational English.”

The professional teachers volunteered to take the classes after the Gurkhas won their appeal to be entitled to settle in this country after military service last year.

Ashford Cllr Bob Davidson, who also leads the project, said: “We raised more than £1,500, which will pay for the first year, but in the long run we to get adult education services on board so we can really take it forward.

“There are more than 2,000 Ghurkas in Ashford now. The husbands get everything they need to be a soldier, but the women have to make their own way.”

The classes have proved very popular with more than 150 women signing up to take part and a massive waiting list.

Mr Tumbahangphe said the classes would also help the women to make an economic contribution towards the family.

He said: “They realised that if they go for an interview for a job, not being able to speak English immediately puts them at a disadvantage. To survive in this country they need to have good language skills. Now we are living in England we consider it our home and we want to be useful.”

Mr Tumbahangphe, who also raises money for poor children back in his homeland, added: “Education is the most important thing. One member of a Nepalese family back in Nepal who is educated can lift the rest out of poverty.”

source: http://www.yourashford.co.uk/kent-news/Tragedy-prompts-Gurkha-women-to-learn-English-newsinkent32947.aspx?news=local

A new service has been launched by the Gurkha Association in Ashford to support the wives of retired Gurkha soldiers by teaching the language, traditions and customs of British people.

Bhimraj Tumbahangphe, founding member of the Gurkha Peace Foundation announced in the Kentish Express that he was looking for volunteers and would be holding a press conference on Saturday 16th January.

Bhim told those assembled that the basis for the class stemmed from when a Gurkha died in Folkestone because his wife could not use the telephone.

In order to prevent this reoccurring, the Gurkha Association have established classes to teach the wives English and citizenship.

Many people attended, including Liberal Democrat County Councillor George Koowaree, Leader of Ashford Liberal Democrats Council group Cllr Bob Davidson, His Worshipful The Mayor Cllr John Holland, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Maidstone Peter Carroll and Liberal Democrat Canterbury City Councillor Cllr Brian Staley.

The Mayor lit candles to commence the classes. All of those present to support the initiatives were honoured with sashes.

Cllr George Koowaree pledged £750 towards to the classes. The Association hopes to receive more support as it develops.

Classes are to be held on Saturdays and Sundays in International House.

To assist please contact Bhimraj Tumbahangphe on rajbhim@hotmail.com

source: http://ashfordlibdems.org.uk/news/000232/gurkha_association_launch_citizenship_school.html

A CEREMONIAL Gurkha kukri knife in a gold and silver embossed scabbard was auctioned at Canterbury City Sheriff Cllr Charlotte MacCaul's annual charity dinner at Tankerton's Marine Hotel, Whitstable, on Friday, March 6. The Khukuri was donated by Bhimraj Tumbahangphe, founder of Gurkha Peace Foundation.

The sell-out £25-a-head dinner was raising money for the Strode Park Foundation at Herne, near Herne Bay, and the Gurkha Peace Foundation.

Transport industry spokesman Peter Carroll  talked about his role organising the six-year Gurkha Justice campaign which increased awareness of the plight of ex-Gurkha soldiers, some of whom were wounded, patched up and sent back to Nepal without proper pensions.He had also helped organise demonstrations outside Parliament and recruited celebrities Joanna Lumley and Virginia McKenna to the cause.

Guests were greeted by a Gurkha piper and entertained by traditional Nepalese Khukuri and Folk dance.

source- http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/news/Gurkha-kukri-knife-hammer/article-746761-detail/article.html

Mr and Mrs. Young

Mr.Terry Young is already living a retired life and Mrs.Sheila Young is NHS worker from Folkestone Kent. They are currently sponsoring a child from Nepal each. The couple sponsors every day-to-day expenses including education, food , shelter for the child. They are also persuading other people to follow their example and improve an underprivilged child`s life by sponsoring them. They belived that childrens are Our future and future of the world.We Gukha Peace Foundation would like to thank the couple for their contribution.