Last year, your incredible generosity helped me raise money for “Supporting Nepal’s Children”, a charity funding the setting up of vocational schools for young people in Nepal. In October 2025 I was fortunate enough to travel out to Nepal to see first hand what our charity had, so far, achieved. Over a period of two weeks I met children, young people and adults whose smiles and stories will stay with me forever.

One young woman spoke to me at the Olgapuri Vocational Centre and told me that she was from a remote Nepalese village and had left school when she was 13. At the age of 18 she secured a place at the vocational centre to learn garment skills. What she went through between the ages of 13 and 18 was unimaginable and I remember, word for word, her painful story. She smiled as she went on to say that she was now planning on going back to her village and expects to earn enough from her new found trade to look after herself and her family.

And it is not just these young people we have managed to support over the last few years but the teachers who have found valuable jobs in these new centres and the very young children living locally who can now see for themselves that the future can bring opportunity.

Supporting Nepal’s Children has already built two vocational schools, with over 1,400 young people already graduated and now in stable employment. Any sponsorship you can kindly give will help us continue our roll out of the schools, giving thousands more young people the chance to build a secure and hopeful future.

Every pound raised will be matched by St. James’s Place to support UK charity Jamie’s Farm.

And so this is the real reason I have signed up for a fund raising challenge that truly terrifies me- attempting to trek to Everest Base Camp in October 2026- and asking for your sponsorship. I know that times are hard and we are asked to give so much. However, I have seen for myself what every pound donated can buy and so any donation, large or small, is appreciated and certainly not taken for granted.

Thank you,

Marie