A Nepalese charity with historic connections to the island is marking 30 years since it built its first school with a major new fundraising campaign.

Pahar Trust Nepal (PTN) builds educational and health facilities in remote areas of Nepal, and was established in 1993 by two ex-servicemen of the Queen’s Gurkha Engineers.

Soon afterwards, Howard Green MBE, of Baldrine, became a trustee and in 2005 was appointed chair before eventually becoming president in 2019.

Since the trust was founded, more than 34 projects have been funded exclusively from the island - through a combination of donations from Manx residents, including businesses, churches, schools, Rotary clubs and individuals, plus grants for several projects awarded by the government’s International Development Committee.

Mr Green said: ’There are more than 34 Manx flags flying in the Himalayas, most of them over schools we funded.

’It’s great for the prestige of the IoM too, that as a small autonomous island we are working actively on the international stage’.

In 1993 as headteacher of Kirk Michael primary, Mr Green oversaw the twinning of Kirk Michael with Ghamrang in Nepal - to this day the students still engage in fundraising initiatives, and the distinctive Nepalese flag flies in front of the school.

He emphasised the deep-rooted nature of the ties between the island and Nepal, which date back to the friendships formed between Manxmen who fought in WWII and Nepalese Gurkha soldiers.

Since its founding, PTN has delivered 248 projects, building and renovating 159 schools, 51 libraries and 38 other essential facilities such as health centres and toilets. Over 40,000 students have benefited from its work.

The charity has historically enjoyed support not just from the Manx government, but also from the local community - with hundreds having attended past fund-raising dinners in the island.

In March, a team of six Castle Rushen High School students will be representing the Pahar Trust at the Charity Challenge inter-school finals.

To commemorate its anniversary, the trust is launching a new year-long campaign - ’30 For 30’ - which will help 30 schools improve their teaching provision for pre-primary school children aged one to five.

Some schools will need classrooms completely refurbishing, while others have the basics but lack resources like stationery and books.

Depending on Covid-19 restrictions, the trust hopes to organise fund-raising in the island later this year with a ’Nepali night in’ - collaborating with the Kurries and Steaks restaurant in Douglas to give people a taste of traditional Nepalese food - which had Chief Minister Howard Quayle going back for seconds at one of their last fund-raising dinners.

More campaign information can be found and donations made at: https://www.pahar-trust.org/30for30