Cpt Bhisma Raj and members of the Monckton Lodge, WBro’s Garry Johnson, Mike Cross, Brian Sutton, and Roger Manklow

The Monckton Lodge which meets at the Maidstone Masonic Centre is made up largely of ex-servicemen, and has supported the Ghurka Welfare Trust since the Lodge was formed in 1987. At a parade held at Invicta Barracks, Maidstone, while a lone piper played and the 69 Field Ghurka Squadron flag was raised, members of the Lodge presented a cheque for £700 to Captain Bhisma Raj for forwarding on to the Nepal based charity. £250 of the money was from Grand Charity's matched funding scheme.

For over 185 years, generation after generation of the fighting men of Nepal have bravely fought and died side by side with British troops. Many of those who survived more recent conflicts are now old and frail, and the poor circumstances in which they live in their native Nepal means that they are unable to provide properly for themselves or their dependents. Their final battle is simply a fight to survive. The Ghurka Welfare Trust was set up in 1969 to investigate such hardship cases and arrange appropriate aid, and it now operates from 22 different Welfare Centres throughout Nepal.

Further details about the Ghurka Welfare Trust can be found at: www.gwt.org.uk

From Ed44, P7