AN artisan market, a pop-up Nepalese restaurant, a fun dog show, and a music festival with gin and beer tasting are planned for this summer to help with life-changing work.
Local charity founder Maxine Brown is taking a group of volunteers to poverty-stricken Nepal to carry on vital work that has been postponed because of the Covid crisis.
Maxine set up Helping Hands for Nepal after she spent time volunteering with the charity Real Himalaya in 2015 to rebuild a remote school destroyed by an earthquake.
While in Nepal, Maxine came across locally produced cashmere scarves, which she brought back to the UK to sell and raise funds for a Nepalese school. It went down so well that she ordered more and set up an online business, AmaDablam, selling affordable cashmere, and other Nepalese accessories, with profits going back to the school and supporting other Real Himalaya projects.
Maxine said: "This year the Helping Hands for Nepal group, consisting of 20 students and ladies from Yorkshire, will travel to Nepal in August. Once there they will join Real Himalaya to provide services to rural schools in the Himalayan foothills. Their involvement in the project will include teaching English, painting and renovating classrooms, and running a health camp for students and women, including advice on women’s health, and hygiene kit distribution."
Nepal is one of the least developed countries in the world and in 2015 it was struck by two significant earthquakes. At the time, Kathmandu-based Tour Operator, Real Himalaya, worked hard with the help of international volunteers to rebuild shattered schools and homes. Today, they continue working with remote communities to improve access to education through improvements to school buildings and the supply of technology.
Maxine said: "Overseas volunteering for charities and non-profit organisations was hit hard by the pandemic. Some charities were able to restructure their operations to offer virtual support to communities in need. Now that international travel is possible again, groups and individuals wishing to make a meaningful impact through volunteering are researching opportunities and booking their flights."
As part of the fundraising drive, Maxine hooked up with Jo Barnes, owner of The Mile Farm Shop in Pocklington, who hosted a fundraising event at the start of the pandemic.
An artisan market was held featuring 20 small Yorkshire businesses and raised more than £1,500. The market will be repeated on June 11 this year, with more than 30 artisan stalls and family fun activities - and the hope is to raise much more, said Maxine.
Other fundraising events planned ahead of the trip to Nepal, include a pop-up Nepalese restaurant at the College Arms in Linton-on-Ouse on July 2, a fun dog show in Tollerton on July 16, and a music festival with gin and beer tasting at Mile Farm Shop on July 23.
If you would like to support their fundraising efforts, contact them via the Help Nepal Schools page on Facebook, or donate via their Go Fund Me Page: https://gofund.me/8dc56018
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