On 25th April a friend of mine, Alan Oatway, had just begun a trek into the Rolwaling valley in Nepal and had stopped in the remote village of Simigaon. At noon on that day his trek and the lives of the villagers came to an abrupt halt in the devastating earthquake. Most of the houses were destroyed together with the gompa, and the school for which the villagers had been saving money for 12 years to build and which was to be ceremonially opened that afternoon. Had the earthquake struck a day later the school would have been filled with 52 children, an entire generation.
Alan and his fellow trekers have set up a fund to help the villagers rebuild the school and gompa, and Alan is giving a series of free illustrated talks in Cumbria in the next few weeks:-
Marchesi Centre, Windermere - Tuesday 30th June
Nether Kellett Village Hall - Thursday 2nd July
Kirkbie Kendal School, Kendal - Thursday 9th July
Market Hall, Hawkshead - Wednesday 15th July
All to start at 7.30.
Many thanks.

Alan will be returning to Simigaon in the autumn to hand over all money raised direct to the villagers. Sadly there are already stories of funds being siphoned off from their intended destinations.

A website has also been set up with before and after pictures taken in the village and contact details for donations. See http://simigaon.myfreesites.net/ . Do take a look and if you are able to contribute a donation it can be paid direct to the Simigaon Village Fund, account number 03033937, sort code 20-18-93. Cheques made payable to "Simigaon Village Fund" can be sent to "Coulmore, Canny Hill, Newby Bridge, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 8NT".