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Latest News - The Himalayan Trust UK
To read our latest newsletter. Click here to download NewsletterSpring09.pdf
George Band .... O.B.E.
All the Trustees and many Himalayan Trust supporters from around the world were delighted to hear that George Band, our Chairman, has been awarded an O.B.E. for services to mountaineering and to charity. It is thoroughly deserved for a wonderful lifetime of hard work and achievement ... still going onwards at great pace. Well done, George!
Sir Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Hillary celebrated his 88th birthday on 20th July 2007. In his final year he was able to visit Kathmandu in April to review the work of the Trust. Obviously he could not be quite as active in supervising and fund raising as in earlier years. However, the work of the Trust has been continuing unabated with more responsibility being delegated to the Sherpa Advisory Committee, which Sir Edmund had created to ensure a proper succession. Now, after the death of Sir Edmund on 11th January 2008, Lady June Hillary has succeeded Sir Edmund as Chairman of the Trust in New Zealand.
In the UK in 2006 we decided to shorten the name of our Trust in the UK, with the agreement of Sir Edmund and the Charity Commissioners. Since its inception in 1989 to today the UK Trust has contributed over £500,000 to the work of Sir Edmund Hillary’s Himalayan Trust in Nepal. We have an annual commitment to send £20,000 each year, though in all years recently this has been exceeded by amounts for specific projects, funded by larger donations from individuals or groups.
Thanks to your generous donations, we have now built up sufficient reserves to be able to support a few additional projects outside Sir Edmund’s Himalayan Trust, but which still fall within the objects of our UK Trust Deed which are 1) the relief of poverty and sickness of persons in Nepal and 2) the protection and preservation of the environment and in particular the National Parks in Nepal and their environs for the public benefit.
We recognise that, thanks to the proximity of Everest, and the proliferation of climbing and trekking groups, the Sherpas living in Solu Khumbu are now on average rather better off than many of the other racial groups in Nepal. Accordingly, as a first proposal, Trustees made a significant grant towards the Machermo Shelter Project which also has a medical facility. This project has begun under the auspices of the International Porter Protection Group and is monitored by Community Action Nepal (Doug Scott and his colleagues). It was formally opened on 11th October 2006. Machermo is on the high trekking route to the Gokyo Lakes and has had virtually no provision or protection for the porters who mostly come from lower altitudes, many of whom have suffered as a result. A second porter shelter is being built at Gorak Shep, the last trekking stage before Kala Patar and Everest Base Camp.
What may prove to be a major initiative of the UK Trust is a Teacher Training Project for 10 schools in the Lelep district beyond Taplejung in Eastern Nepal in the shadow of Kanchenjunga. Whilst trekking to Kanchenjunga in 2005, George and Susan Band were petitioned to help, particularly in Ghunsa, the village closet to the mountain. We could see that the need here was as great as in the Solu Khumbu area some forty years ago. In 2008 we are now in the second year of a three year project. We have now brought the remaining 12 schools in this remote and scattered district into this project.
We have also agreed to support Sherpa children at Sapta Gandaki school in Kathmandu, whose mothers are in reduced circumstances. We will apply much the same criteria in assessing the need for these extra projects as we do for the normal Himalayan Trust projects.
We are pleased that with the enlarged scope and greater independence of the UK Trust, Sir Edmund was still happy to remain as our President and was very supportive of our efforts, and with his death we hope that your donations will continue as generously as ever.
If you would like to be on our mailing list to receive a free paper copy of our 8 page illustrated Annual Newsletter, please e-mail our trustee Tony Astill at astill.tony@googlemail.com.
Troubles in Nepal:
Great changes are underway in the Kingdom of Nepal following King Gyanendra's decision to bow to popular pressure and reinstate parliament.
The restored parliament stripped the King of his political powers and made major concessions to the Maoist rebels. In response, the Maoist rebels called a cease-fire and are now working with the new multi-party government to hold constituent assembly elections and ensure a more settled and democratic future for Nepal.
The elections took place on 10 April 2008. the day was largely peacful with a voter turnout at over 60%. Nepal remains politically volatile. For the latest trvael advice consult the Foreign Office website http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/travel-advice-by-country/asia-oceania/nepal
Whilst there is a lot of work to be done and some critical issues still to be resolved, the recent changes are good news, not only for the people of Nepal but also for visitors. Visitors are vital for the Nepalese people.
Fortunately, the Maoists have not seriously interfered with the work of the Himalayan Trust. The districts of Khumjung, Namche and Chanrikharka in the Everest region have been free from Maoist activity so here the work of the Trust has continued peacefully, although further south around Phaplu it has been more difficult.
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