Ben's London Marathon fundraising page in memory of Norman Pattie (Grandad)

Ben Pattie is raising money for The Hannah Memorial Academy
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London Marathon 2018 · 22 April 2018 ·

The Hannah Memorial Academy is a charitable trust dedicated to supporting a school in Darjeeling built in memory of Hampshire schoolgirl Hannah Foster. The objective of the school is to provide free education for the poorest children of the region. The work of the Trust is fully supported by Hannah's parents Hilary and Trevor Foster. For more information, please visit www.hannahmemorialacademy.org

Story

Dear friends and family,

I have decided to take on my first London Marathon to raise money for the Hannah Memorial Academy and in memory of my Grandad Norman Pattie.

The importance of this challenge has taken on a new meaning for me in light of the sad news of the passing of my Grandad. Had it not been for his adventures living and working in Darjeeling, India, I would never have visited the region and starting supporting this fantastic cause.

I hope you enjoy reading about my story and would be very grateful for any donations you make. 

A few years ago, my family and I travelled to Darjeeling in India, following in the footsteps of my late Grandad who lived and worked on a tea plantation in the region. During our trip, we were lucky enough to visit The Hannah Memorial Academy, a primary school for under privileged children in the Dhooteriah Tea Garden and permanent memorial to the life of a young Southampton girl, Hannah Foster. 

Today, The Hannah Memorial Academy is more than just a school and has become a focal point for the community, providing medical care, food and an important meeting place for locals. It has been particularly vital to the region in recent years with the area suffering from multiple earthquakes, flooding and civil unrest.

My visit to the school was a heart-warming experience and it was fantastic to see the difference the school was making in one of the poorest areas of Darjeeling. Following my visit, I had a strong desire to make a lasting impact and I have since joined a small group of UK-based trustees who make up The Hannah Memorial Charitable Trust. The charity works with local contacts in the Darjeeling region to ensure that the school has everything it needs to stay open.

Please keep reading to find out more about how the school was founded – I think you will agree that it is a truly inspiring story.

The school was the vision of a local man, Jason Lepcha, who wanted to provide free education for children from all backgrounds. Jason set up the school as a lasting legacy to Hannah Foster, a 17-year old Hampshire girl who was murdered in the West End District of Southampton in March 2003. Working with the Hampshire Police, Jason helped to turn in the murderer who had fled to the Darjeeling region. In return for providing the police with the vital information, Jason received a reward of £4,569.

Instead of spending the reward on himself, Jason used the money and help from the local villagers to secure a plot of land suitable to build a school on. Today, Jason and his wife Isabella manage and administer the school with the support of locals. Most importantly, the school is named after Hannah and serves as living memory to her while helping the regions children get access to the education they need to progress in life.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and read all about this worthwhile cause. To find out more about the school and charity, please visit the charity’s website here: http://hannahmemorialacademy.org/

We would be grateful for any donation you can give. No matter how small, it will go along way to helping the children to get a good start in life and will be a fitting tribute to my Grandad who was very fond of this part of the world. 

Many thanks

Ben

Donation summary

Total
£3,170.37
+ £402.50 Gift Aid
Online
£2,516.37
Offline
£654.00

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