About Crossflow

Crossflow was established as a registered UK charity three years ago. Its objective is to benefit people in countries in the region of the Himalayas to assist in relieving sickness, preserving and protecting health, and advancing education. It currently supports three projects in the region, all of which have health and education as their main function.

Crossflow's largest project is in Lumbini, Nepal where it works in partnership with the Crossflow Nepal Trust (CFNT). This project works to improve the living conditions of 14,000 people in 23 cluster villages in the region. The charity's achievements include setting up a free local health clinic and building hand pumps and drainage systems to decrease water borne diseases amongst the local population. Health education training and first aid training also take place.

It has also set up non-formal education classes for adults and children. Crossflow works particularly hard to encourage girls and women to take advantage of the opportunity to learn. Finally local committees have been set up in each of the villages make sure Crossflow responds to the needs expressed at a local level.
 
Crossflow also supports a project in Banepa, Nepal. This is a local programme for pre-school children (aged 0 - 6) with development delays and learning disabilities. Programmes include day care, counselling and home visits. More than 50 children have been integrated into the programme and all of those children have made progress.  

Crossflow's new project is a mobile clinic in Bodhgaya, India, bringing health care to the "Untouchable" Caste of the Bihar region, who have no other resource for medical help.

Although Crossflow is not involved with the day-to-day running of its projects, it is responsible for project monitoring, improving reporting systems, staff training, budget analysis and fundraising within the UK. This requires constant communication between the UK and the programme managers in Nepal and India. The UK team is made up of a UK co-ordinator and a dedicated team of trustees.

Our history

Crossflow was established in August 2000 by Richard Brindle, Jeremy Barnes and Martin Thomas. 

There was another charity operating in Nepal at that time called 'Exchange Himalayas'.  Unfortunately, the trustees of Exchange Himalayas did not have very much experience in running a charity and although they had masses of enthusiasm and the best intentions, they were amateurs and in reality the charity was not functioning well. 

Richard, Jeremy and Martin between them had a great deal of experience both in business and with running a charity called Downside Up. They felt they could really make a difference to Exchange Himalayas' success and it became Crossflow Nepal Trust. Crossflow was established in the UK so the two could work in partnership.