Following the terrible earthquake in Nepal last year the OC Society donated funds to the appeal being run by Birkdale School, Sheffield organised by former Colston's teacher Keith Brook. There is a very strong link in the region to Colston's as the parents of OCs Gregor and Gavin Lock (both in Mortlake) live in Nepal and have been coordinating the rebuilding programme.

Previous articles about Keith Brook and Nepal will help put things in perspective:

https://ocpresident.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/former-colstons-colleague-keith-brook-mbe/

https://ocpresident.wordpress.com/2015/05/13/more-updates-from-nepal/

Dear all,

Preparations for the next trip is going ahead – there are 51 of us traveling in just over 6 weeks time. I have just received these e mails.

From Frances Kletzel in Nepal who is collecting together blankets, sheets can clothes to send out to the villages. It is very difficult in some areas as there is no fuel to heat buildings due to the blockade.

Dear Keith and everyone associated with your school,

 Thank you so much for your donation of Rs 30,000 for blankets to send out to villages where people lost their homes and belongings. It means so much to these folks to be warm at night.

 And thank you to Mike and Patti Lock for coordinating.

 All the very best,

Frances

Also an e mail from Mike Lock just after I told him that we had raised over £5000 in our recent auction of promises. Thank you to everyone who supported this event especially Helen Frost who worked so hard to organise it.

Keith

Gosh, Well done to everyone over there.

Life here is much the same. Shortage of everything which has caused inflation to rise by about 11% …can you just imagine what that means to the poor people here.. food and everything else has gone up… it is suspected that some rises have little to do with the blockade but more to do with greed…. Its snowing in the worst earthquake areas and people are still under canvass or tin huts much like our classrooms.

The local dealers are making lots of money from it. (By the time you get here it should be nice and warm.)

I gave the £500 to the organization that are trying to supply blankets to the worst areas. 

With everyone using wood for cooking outside, the incidence of little kids falling into open fires has increased… it’s so sad. Hard to imagine the Indians being so cruel at this particular time..post earthquake and freezing conditions.. Apart from the fuel shortage  it’s the medical supplies of sophisticated drugs that is proving serious….

What a mess!

Thank goodness that you guys are able to help some people.. well done to you all

Catch you later

Mike

Thanks to everyone for your support over this last 10 months since the earthquake. We have been able to support financially (through Mike)in many ways and should have money that we can take with us to Nepal. It will not be easy to determine just the best way to spend the money so please pray (if you do) that we will make wise decisions when we are there.

Thanks

Keith