Hereford Cathedral School

Shree Sharada School (Nepal)

In the early part of 1997, a trip and trek in Nepal was contemplated. Via an old boy of Hereford Cathedral School (Lieutenant Colonel Edward Marvin RLC) and Mike Moffatt (School Staff Instructor, HCS) a plan was eventually hatched. Colonel Edward had served with the Gurkha Brigade and an old colleague of his (Major Ramprasad Gurung) had recently opened up his own trekking company based in Kathmandu.

From this link up the first trek went off to Nepal in 1998, and has done annually ever since, apart from one year due to the Maoist troubles. After the first trek it was decided that support should be offered to Shree Sharada School, which is located in the village of Ghachok. Ghachok village is where Major Ram’, as he is affectionately known was born and brought up before he joined the British Army as a Gurkha soldier.

The Ghachok Link Committee was formed from colleagues and parents who had trekked and that has been the general pattern ever since its formation. With support from Hereford Cathedral School, Shree Sharada School has steadily grown in to a recognised centre of learning. It has also risen from Primary status to Secondary and along with this the pupil’ examination results in the Senior Learning Certificate (SLC) have also steadily improved, so much so that recently the government in Nepal granted £4000 pounds to school to help with further improvements.

After each trek the HCS group head towards Ghachok village where they are greeted in true Nepalese style. A meeting is then held between the village committee, school staff and Ghachok Link committee members who are on the trek to discuss any assistance required for the coming year and specific improvement projects they might have.

Over the years HCS and its pupils with their donations have helped to re-build and refurbish all the classrooms, built a new toilet block, put fresh water taps in the school play area. A perimeter wall has now been installed, computers have been purchased and a good Library with a variety of useful books is now in operation. New classrooms have been built to help with the increasing number of pupils and currently an additional building is being completed which will become the Headteachers office and administration area for the school.

Pupils from Hereford Cathedral School are invited to go on trek when they enter Year 12 (LVI). The trek is open also to parents and friends of HCS providing that the mandatory CRB checks have been carried out and lodged with the school before the trek itself.

 
This project has the full sanctioning of both the Governors’ and Headmaster of Hereford Cathedral School. For further information on this exciting long term project please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it