From Sheffield to Nepal - school aids earthquake recovery

Pupils, staff, parents and volunteers at a Sheffield school have returned from a trip to Nepal, where they furthered their 16-year links with The Peace Garden School in Kathmandu and Nepalese charities.
Volunteers from Birkdale School in NepalVolunteers from Birkdale School in Nepal
Volunteers from Birkdale School in Nepal

Over 50 people journeyed out to Kathmandu from Sheffield’s Birkdale School to continue helping with recovery following the devastating earthquake that hit communities there in April 2015.

Along with planned work to support the many young people in the region, the Nepa1 party had a strong medical and engineering aspect to their work this year.

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Basic medical checks, eye tests, and focused work on oral health care were conducted at a number of different locations throughout the three week trip.

Members of the engineering team undertook detailed work assessing the structural damage to buildings, particularly the Tibetan Centre and other school locations. Much of this work was led by a team that had been trained and facilitated prior to the visit at the University of Sheffield.

Keith Brook MBE, who leads the Birkdale trip each year, said: “It is such a humbling experience to visit the people of Nepal. They are such a happy and contented country, always with a ready and warm smile of welcome, even in the most difficult of circumstances”.

He continued: “Given the earthquake last year we were not only pleased to continue our work and association with The Peace Garden School, but also to further our medical support, and start a new role looking at how we can help to strengthen buildings.

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“Birkdale is always pleased to partner with local organisations and this year we very much brought with us a multifaceted team.”

Gillian Lang was one of the party. She said: “It went amazingly well on so many fronts. For me it was at times very emotional and humbling to see how resilient these people are. The volunteers were outstanding.”