Steve Peacock completes a second half-marathon
to raise funds for the Mountain Trust
Some years ago, we helped Steve and Jenny enjoy
the delights of a holiday in Nepal and over a few rockshis in
Kathmandu told them about the Trust's work. To our delight,
in 2005 Steve asked if he could nominate the Trust for sponsorship
funds he raised by running the Great North Half Marathon. He
successfully completed the race (respect) and raised £623
for the Trust's work in Nepal.
In 2007, Steve took part in the Brighton Half
Marathon and doing so, injured his knee. He successfully finished
the course though not without having to hop downhill for the
last stages. Quite apart from the heroic personal efforts Steve
put in, he raised £663 for the Trust and even persuaded
his employers The Budget Group Ltd. to donate a further £100
to the Trust. Top man !
Fundraising
There are all sorts of ways to raise funds to
help the Trust's work in Nepal. We've found that selling Nepalese
jewellery, handbags, silk pyjamas etc. can be quite successful.
We make web sites for commercial firms as another means. We
have several coin collection boxes in retail outlets. Visits
to schools to tell the kids about their Nepali counterparts,
selling 'Gran goes to Nepal' and publicising the work we do
also helps. Whether you are a marathon runner or author, business
or are simply concerned to help, our initial advice is to ask
yourself what skills, contacts or other resources you have which
could help generate funds? There are no firm rules from person
to person or country to country. Even so, if you look around
at what others have done to successfully raise funds, you may
find ideas that way. We are always ready to help give advice
or other support should you wish.
Donating
You can donate to help the work of The Mountain
Trust in various ways. In each case, please indicate whether
we can claim Gift Aid tax relief from the UK Government. For
us to reclaim some 22 pence in every pound you donate, we
need to know that in the same tax year you have spent the
amount of your donation or more in income tax or capital gains
tax to the UK tax authorities. You must be resident as a UK
tax payer although your donation by cheque or electronic transfer
can be made in any currency including Sterling.
We also need your permission by letter, email
or verbally to reclain Gift Aid Tax Relief on your behalf.
Agreeing to Gift Aid relief costs you nothing but can significantly
increase the help we can give Nepal.
If you are a high tax payer in the UK, you
should complete your self-assessment tax form each year and
give details of the donations to the Mountain Trust and or
any other Registered Charities you have made in order to receive
an additional tax rebate from HMCR yourself. If you would
like any further free advice, please contact
us.
Here are a few examples of the ways in which
you can donate:
1. By sending a cheque made payable
to 'The Mountain Trust' to:
Charles Malcolm-Brown.
Chairman.
The Mountain Trust.
20a High Green,
Great Shelford,
Cambridge,
CB22 5EG.
United Kingdom.
2. By making an online transfer.
The Account name is: The Mountain Trust
The Account Number is: 2274334
The sort code is: 30-91-74
The BIC number is: LOYDGB21206
The IBAN number is: GB20 LOYD 3091 7402 2743 34
Please note that because of money laundering
and tighter security on international financial transfers, it
is only now possible to send legitimate transfers of funds from
Europe to Asia via either Frankfurt or London - and in each
case, via a routing bank. In other words, it is no longer possible
to send funds from a high street bank in the UK to one in Nepal.
Instead, we have to transfer the funds from our local bank to
Standard Chartered in London who transfer it to their branch
in Kathmandu and from there to our account at Machhapuchhare
Bank in Pokhara.
3. By donating goods (such as childrens' shoes)
or services in kind.
Please contact The
Mountain Trust to discuss how you may be able to help (or volunteer).
The main obstacle here is that whilst western standard shoes
etc will last longer than Asian prodiced ones, the cost of shipping
can be prohibitive.
4. By making a donation in place of a gift to
a friend or loved one.
We hope to be launching a new website soon to
enable you to to register as someone who'd prefer potential
gifts to be turned into donations to one or more charities of
your choice. Please contact us for
more information in the meantime.
5. By choosing greetings cards which generate
benefits for people in need - without any commercial cut in
between. Please see the June's
Trust website for further details.
