RegisteredCharityNo1103669CompanyLimitedbyGuaranteeNo5098581RegisteredinEngland

CharitylaunchesfilmwithBearGryllstoeducatepeopleabouttheGurkhasANINTERNATIONALcharityhaslaunchedafilmtoeducatepeopleaboutthehistoryoftheGurkhaswiththehelpofadventurerextraordinaireandtelevisionpersonalityBearGrylls.TheGurkhaWelfareTrust,whichisbasedinSalisbury,hasmadethethree-minutefilmentitled‘WhoaretheGurkhas’toeducatethepublicabouttheeliteNepalesesoldierswhohaveareputationasbeingsomeofthetoughestandbravestonearth.TheanimatedfilmisnarratedbyBearGryllsafriendofTheGurkhaWelfareTrustwhoiswellplacedtoappreciatethetoughselectionprocessandtrainingwhichthesemenhavegonethroughtobecomeGurkhas.ThefilmexplainsGurkhasaretraditionallyrecruitedfromthehillpeopleofNepal,whotracetheirrootsrightbacktoan8thcenturyHinduwarrior,GuruGorakhnath.TheyfirstencounteredtheBritishin1814,whentheBritishEastIndiaCompanyfoughtagainstthemduringtheAnglo-NepaleseWar.BritishforcesadmiredtheGurkhas’militaryabilitiesandhonourabletactics.ThePeaceTreatythatendedthewarin1816enabledtheBritishtoofficiallyrecruitNepaliGurkhas–andsobeganBritain’srelationshipwithNepal.SincethenGurkhashaveservedwithdistinctionthroughouttheworld,fightingin30majorconflictsandearninganincredible13VictoriaCrossesforactsofextremevalour,alongwithcountlessothermedalsAdamBentham,whoworksforTheGurkhaWelfareTrustasaMarketingandCommunicationsManagerbelievesthefilmisvitalforpeopletofullyunderstandwhotheGurkhasareandtheirlonghistorytounderstandwhythetrustexistsandhowcrucialtheworkitdoesis.Adamsaid:“WeknowifyouweretostoppeopleinthestreetandaskthemaboutTheGurkhaWelfareTrusttheyhaveusuallyheardaboutusandcantellyoualittlebitaboutGurkha’sbuttheyrarelyknowthehistoryorreallyunderstandwhatthesesoldiershavedoneforBritainandwhyweowethemsomuch.”Inthelate1960s,followingtheendofvariousEasternconflicts,therewasasignificantreductioninthenumberofservingGurkhasintheBritishArmy.Anditbecameapparent,manyGurkhasoldiersandtheirdependantsorwidowsinNepalfaceddestitutioninoldage.ManyofthesesoldiershadservedintheWorldWars.However,theyhadnotservedthe15yearsneededtoqualifyforanArmypensionandunliketheirBritishcounterpartstheycouldnotrelyonthewelfarestateinoldage,asitdoesnotexistinNepal.In1969recognitionofthecountry’sdebtofhonourtothesesoldiers,apublicappeal,ledbyeightgreatwartimeFieldMarshallsraised£1mtoestablishTheGurkhaWelfareTrust.NowthecharityensuresGurkhaveterans,theirwidowsandtheirwidercommunitiescanlivetheirliveswithdignity.Thisisdonewiththeprovisionoffinancial,medicalandcommunityaidinNepal.

RegisteredCharityNo1103669CompanyLimitedbyGuaranteeNo5098581RegisteredinEngland

Towatchthefilmpleasevisitwww.gwt.org.uk-Ends-Notestoeditors:Youhavebeenprovidedwithjpegimagesofthefilm.Ifyouusethem,pleasecreditTheGurkhaWelfareTrustanddonotarchive.Forfurtherinformation/interviewspleasecontactJoatJollyGoodCausesbyemailJo@jollygoodcauses.comorcall07498554537.