As a Gurkha soldier myself, I have served in the Gurkha Regiment for 22 years. During my service, I have met so many different people with various needs. When the British government finally allowed to the Gurkhas to settle in the UK, many elderly ex Gurkha families arrived knowing very little about life in the UK as well as the law and order of this country and this process is still on going. In order to facilitate these people with news, views and information in the Nepali language the British Gurkhas Welfare Society decided to establish a community radio and it does just that.

Radio BGWS aims to provide a Community Radio service for the rapidly growing community of ex-Gurkhas, their families including all Nepali people not only in the UK but with listeners from overseas as well, through the internet. As an AM band currently it can be clearly heard within the Rushmoor Borough area extending to some parts of Surrey. The service is broadcast mostly in Nepali and provides information, advice and entertainment to the Nepali community, helping them to integrate into the local community while keeping in touch with Nepal and one another in the UK and internationally. It also provides an on-going training scheme to ensure and support anyone interested in adding to the volunteer workforce or producing and presenting their own suitable programme.

This community radio is solely run by VOLUNTEERS and has been an integral part of Gurkha community which helps them feel at home and be the part of the community as well as providing vital day to day information especially needed by new comers and elderly ex Gurkha family.

Therefore, me (Naresh) and my daughter (Prateeksha) have decided to run the Scottish Half Marathon on Sunday 24 September with the aim of raising funds for BGWS Community Radio. All collection will proceed towards the BGWS Radio.

We will be very very grateful for your generous donation. If you want to know more, please visit the website http://bgws.org.

Thank you for your generosity.

No amount is too small.