HONORARY SECRETARY’S
REPORT for 2006-2007
During the year the Nepalese Embassy has been without an ambassador. We are pleased to hear that by the time of
the AGM a new Ambassador will have arrived in London and we hope to be able to
welcome him at the meeting.
Mr Dipendra Pratap Bista, the Charge d’Affaires who is an ex officio member of the Britain-Nepal Society (BNS) Executive
Committee, has been particularly helpful to the BNS and it was with much
sadness that we learnt of his return to Nepal in July. For family reasons he left sooner than he
had planned and thus we were unable to give him a leaving party. He has been replaced by Mr Jhabindra P Aryal whom we welcome and
thank for permission to hold this AGM at the Nepalese Embassy.
I have been ably supported by my secretary, Mrs Daphne Field, until she retired
at the end of May. The BNS kindly made
a generous gift to her to thank her for
all the time she gave to the society.
Mrs Pat Mellor has continued to be a great support particularly by
looking after membership matters. Our
Chairman, Lt. Col. Gerry Birch had been a valuable source of guidance.
TALKS
The change of venue to the Medical Society of London has continued to be a
success and two meetings have been followed by a Nepalese supper provided by
the Munal Restaurant. The change has
also been financially successful as can be seen in the attached accounts.
The talks given were:
30th January 2007 Professor Michael Hutt: ‘Monarchy Maoists
and Political Parties’.
28th March Col. William Shuttlewood: ‘An update on the
work of the Gurkha Welfare Trust’.
22
May Dr Neil Weir and Mr
Adam Schulberg: ‘The work of the Britain Nepal Otology Service
in Nepal’. Followed by a Nepalese supper.
16 October Col. David Hayes: ‘New
Terms and Conditions for the Brigade of Gurkhas’.
Followed by a
Nepalese supper.
We are grateful to all the speakers for their time, enthusiasm and excellent
illustrations. As is the custom we
shall look forward to receiving them as our guests at the Annual Nepali Supper
on Thursday 21 February 2008.
Dr Raghar Dhital OBE
Some members of the BNS were able on 19 June to witness the investiture of Dr
Dhital with an honorary OBE by Mr Howells, Minister of State at the FCO. The award recognised the work done by Dr
Dhital for the Nepalese community in the UK and in fostering relations between
our two countries.
Annual Nepali Supper
The supper attended by 120 members and guests, was held on 22 February at St
Columba’s Church of Scotland Hall in Pont Street. Mr Dipendra Pratap Bista and the Chairman spoke.
Summer Outing
Midsummer was typically a wet day but it was not allowed to spoil a visit by
thirty members and their guests to Polesdon Lacy in the Surrey Hills. A
sub-committee is to be formed, under the leadership of Mrs Celia Brown, to give
some fresh thought and ideas to the summer outings as the executive committee
feels that perhaps the original purpose of the outing, namely to show the
emerging Nepalese community different places in England, has now been overtaken
by time. She will be supported by Mrs
Pat Mellor who will provide a direct link with the executive committee.
Website –
www.britain-nepal-society.org.uk
Mr Derek Marsh of Crystal Consultants (UK) has continued to assist us with the
website. It does need more input and we
are still keen to hear of any organisations that have existing websites or email addresses which might like
to be linked to the BNS website. The
aim is for the BNS website to provide a comprehensive list of organisations
undertaking work in Nepal as we often hear of organisations interested in the
same subject but working quite independently without knowledge of each other.
Society ties and lapel badges
Mr David Jefford continues kindly to look after the sale of the Society ties
which cost £10.00 each including postage.
They are available from him at: 20 Longmead, Fleet, Hampshire GU13 9TR
or at the AGM or one of our major functions.
Miss Jane Loveless has supervised the production of a very attractive lapel
badge which is available for sale for £3.00 at the AGM and other major
functions.
Future Events
Talks: The dates for the 2008 talks, all of which will be held at the Medical Society of London, 11 Chandos Street are to be held on:
Wednesday 30 January Sue
Carpenter: My World, My View – Teaching
Photography to
Disadvantaged
Girls in Nepal.
Thursday 6 March
Mr Ramesh Dhungel: The British
Resident, Brian Hodgson and
his Manuscripts
from Nepal’.
Wednesday 21 May tba -
followed by Nepali supper
Thursday 16 October tba - followed by Nepali
supper
Annual Nepali Supper Thursday
21st February 2008
to be held at St Columba’s Hall, Pont Street.
Neil Weir
Honorary Secretary