Completed Project

23. Greenwich Healthier Communities Fund
Delivery Strand – Groundwork

Health and wellbeing of Ex-British Gurkha Community.in Greenwich (10/2024 – 03/2026)

The following are the expected outcomes of this project:
a. 100 Ex-British Gurkha veterans will have demonstrated an improved Physical and mental health and wellbeing; and remain active, independent and self-reliant through specialised health and healthier training and workshops support.
b. 100 Ex-British Gurkha veterans will have demonstrated reduced isolation and loneliness through focused programme support.

The funding will be used:

1. To promote physical and mental fitness: Yoga and keep fit classes will be organised. Total beneficiaries will be divided in 4 groups of 25 people each. Each group will attend the class 2 days a week for 10 weeks. A trained qualified Yoga teacher will be hired to run this class. This activity will address the issue of beneficiaries physical as well as mental health.
2. Green chain/open walk/ Jogging/ Jungle Walk in the Greens/woodlands of RBG in summer months in groups. This will improve their mobility /fitness and will also give an opportunity to socialise with others leading to reduced isolation. Four groups of 25 people each will participate in this activity for 8 weeks. This will be facilitated by Project volunteers.
3. Health and healthier living workshops will be organised focusing on healthy eating/nutrition intake, changing food habits, leading to an improved quality of life. Such workshops will be followed by cookery classes. Expert from GCDA will be invited to facilitate these workshops. Four workshops of 25 people each will be organised.
4. Workshops on alcohol and drugs abuse will be organised. Expert from Live Well Greenwich will be invited to facilitate four workshops of 25 people each.
5. A training/workshop on sleep-disorder, stress management, anxiety to manage long term health conditions of the beneficiaries. Expert from the Greenwich Council will be invited to facilitate four workshops of 25 people each.
6. Digital literacy focussing on mobile phone operation skill development training. A trained IT sessional worker will be hired to provide four training events for 25 people each. This activity will help increase social networking of the beneficiaries contributing to reduced isolation and improved wellbeing.
7. Excursions: A day out will be organised for 100 beneficiaries to places of their interest. Such as Open parks, seaside
8. Casework support/ Drop-in Service. Volunteers and project staff will provide support to the beneficiaries as per their needs including appointments to GPs and Hospitals.

The project successfully achieved its core aim of improving health conditions and reducing isolation and loneliness among 100 ex-British Gurkha veterans and their spouses living in Royal Borough of Greenwich. Through a structured programme of culturally appropriate health and wellbeing activities, the project supported participants to improve both their physical and mental wellbeing while strengthening social connections within community.
In total, we delivered 179 activities designed to address the specific health and wellbeing challenges faced by the beneficiaries. These included Yoga sessions, health and wellbeing workshops, and information sessions. As a result, participants reported increased confidence in managing their health, improved awareness of available services, and stronger social networks.
A key success of the project was high level of engagement and participation from beneficiaries. Participants attended activities and actively contributed to peer support within the group. The programme created a safe and welcoming space where veterans and their spouses could share experiences, reduce feelings of isolation, and build stronger relationships within community. The project also strengthened connections between the Gurkha community and local health and support organisations and access to services.
The project faced challenges during delivery. Many participants experienced language barriers, limited digital skills, and cultural hesitation in accessing mainstream health services. In addition, some beneficiaries had mobility issues or long-term health conditions that made regular participation difficult. To overcome these challenges, activities were delivered in culturally sensitive ways, including providing interpretation support and working with trusted community leaders to encourage participation. Delivery methods were also adapted to ensure activities remained accessible for older participants.
Minor adjustments were made during project to better respond to participants’ needs. Additional three health and wellbeing workshops were organised in response to the interest and demands of the beneficiaries. The project originally aimed to engage 100 older beneficiaries but exceeded this target across most activities. Yoga sessions reached 152 participants, and workshops attendance consistently surpassed the planned 25 beneficiaries per session across all topics. This reflected strong community interest and needs. These adjustments ensured the programme remained responsive to the evolving needs of beneficiaries.
The grant played a critical role in helping address health inequalities affecting the Gurkha veteran community in Greenwich, where language barriers, cultural differences, and limited awareness of available services often limit access to mainstream health and wellbeing support.
The project also created lasting value through collaboration with NHS Oxleas and other local health providers. A key achievement was the development of a dementia awareness video in simple Nepali, produced with the NHS Oxleas Memory Service, Greenwich, to improve understanding, early recognition, and prevention of dementia within the Nepalese community. The partnership has also led to the creation of Nepalese Community Engagement Steering Group, which meets every two to three months to discuss key health issues and strengthen community engagement with local services.
Overall, the project has made a meaningful contribution to improving health, wellbeing, and social connectedness among ex-British Gurkha veterans and their spouses in Greenwich while helping to reduce the impact of health inequalities affecting this community.

22. City Bridge Trust Project (2023-2026)

This project aims to support 150 older Nepalese ex-British Gurkha people over the age of 75 to live more active and healthier lives and to have more choice and control in their lives through quality advice and support in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, London.

The project will meet three outcomes of Trust’s as follows:

Older Londoners aged over 75 years living more active and healthier lives,
Fewer older Londoners aged over 75 years with depression and more reporting improved well-being; and
Older Londoners have increased awareness of benefits, finance, housing and other rights through volunteers’ service delivery and on time bound implementation of identified project activities

The project will implement health and healthier living awareness activities such as Healthier living awareness consultation/workshops including healthy eating, nutrition, cookery session, alcohol and drug abuse, diabetes and self-management of long-term illness and Health conditions, Yoga and keep fit training for older Londoners aged over 75 years to help them live more active and healthier lives. This will help meet the Trust’s programmed outcome “Older Londoners aged over 75 years living more active and healthier lives.

Regular field trips/excursions, community engagement to interact themselves, Yoga and keep-fit will help older people relieved from depression and improve well-being thus will meet the Trust Outcome “Fewer older Londoners aged over 75 years with depression and more reporting improved well-being”.

Volunteers provide services to elderly people such as case work support to get services from service providers, door to door support service delivery and drop in services. This will help achieve Trust’s outcome: “Older Londoners having increased awareness of benefits, finance, housing and other rights through volunteers’ service delivery and on time bound implementation of identified project activities.

We would work in partnership with local statutory and voluntary service providers to promote access of elderly Gurkha to a range of services which they offer. This project will fill in gaps in most services such as establishing newly arrived Gurkha community linkage with service providers.

We will implement project activities related to social, cultural and educational activities to encourage healthy lifestyles and reduce isolation for older people aged over 75 years.

The most important activities of the project will be to train and develop volunteer service base in the community so that the trained volunteers will be able the help older people to meet their needs. These trained volunteers will be developed as community champions with knowledge and skill for being community catalysts and social leaders.

The health awareness activities of the project will focus on three aspects of the needs of older people. The first group of activities will focus on creating awareness of health and healthier living such as healthier living consultation events on healthier living including food and nutrition’s, eat well, drinks, Alcohol, diabetes, cookery classes, for older people. The second group of health activities will focus on health-related training such as trainings on Yoga and Keep Fit including Jogging or morning walk and Long-term health management. Physical fitness trainings such as Yoga and Keep Fit will help older people for Muscle strengthening which is necessary for building and maintaining strong bones, regulating blood sugar and blood pressure and maintaining a healthy weight. These health activities will help older Londoners live more active and healthier lives and improve well-being.

Project will integrate older people of different BME groups and enhance knowledge of society and culture of England by organizing field trips/excursions to various places and annual community events.

Support, advice and signposting services will be provided to the older people through drop-in service five days a week (Monday to Friday at CESI Office).

21. Ex-British Gurkhas Climate Action at Households (2021-22)

This project aims to increase awareness of climate change and its effects on individual, households, and community in the Royal borough of Greenwich.

The project would help support ex-Gurkha community to understand the roles they can play to minimize the effect of climate change by reducing their carbon footprint by focusing on.

the Climate Change and its effects on the economy of the households and community,

the volunteers support services on the issue of climate change
the community awareness creation by the workshops about climate change, Cop26 climate conference resolution

UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) at the SEC – Glasgow 2021 (ukcop26.org)

COP26-Presidency-Outcomes-The-Climate-Pact.pdf (ukcop26.org)

the role of individuals, households, and community to reduce carbon footprint by reducing households’ consumption and wastage in 250 ex-Gurkha community,
the development of community networks of ex-Gurkha community and their families to bring them together to reduce effects of climate change in different ward of Royal borough of Greenwich,
the delivery of direct volunteer service and case work support to the households and community to reduce their carbon footprint
the delivery of workshops to the ex-Gurkhas community and their families to reduce carbon footprint.

This project will bring 250 ex-British Gurkhas and together to understand and act against the effects of climate change as stated in the COP26 conference agreement. There will be focus on the community-led climate action by the large number of ex-British Gurkhas and their families’ members to participate in the climate action starting from the households’ level, reducing households carbon footprint.

The action plan will be prepared for twelve months to help ex-Gurkhas to minimize their households carbon footprint to a minimum level by focusing to reduced food purchase and consumption, transport, energy, and wastage of food and drink, This will be achieved by volunteers services and awareness creation workshops and zoom video conferences with the selected 250 ex-British Gurkha army servicemen and their families in the postcodes of the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

This is a community -led climate action project-Together for Our Planet will meet three criteria which are as follows.

It supports the development of longer-term climate action within communities (that is, looking beyond the COP26 event in November) 250 ex-British Gurkhas, the beneficiaries of the project, “Ex-British Gurkha Climate Action Project” review the COP25 conference agreements and be aware of the issue of climate change and the role of the household to reduce its carbon footprints.

It encourages communities to plan for climate emergencies.

It celebrates the importance of community-led climate action and encourages more people to get involved.

20. Postcode Neighbourhood Trust (2020-2021)

This funding will be spent on reducing isolation and loneliness of 25 older ex-British Gurkha veterans who have been a victim of COVID-19. The following activities will be implemented digitally using laptops. 1. Songs/jokes for fun 2. Sharing culinary tips and skills 3. Gardening tips and techniques 4. Online Yoga sessions 5. Sharing government guidelines and updates about COVID-19 6. Other activities that are refreshing and enjoyable To implement the above activities: a. 30 laptops will be purchased and distributed to the beneficiaries b. A part-time project coordinator will be recruited and trained c. 3 volunteers will be recruited and trained d. Beneficiaries will be trained on the use laptop and the use of zoom or Microsoft team application

The idea of this project emerged from the beneficiaries itself. Due to COVID-19 these vulnerable people have to be confined to their homes for long which has resulted in severe isolation, loneliness and frustration. As CESI have been working with this community for the last 12 years, they are familiar with CESI and thus they approached CESI to find out ways they could engage with and reduce their isolation. Thus, the activities were designed in consultation with the beneficiaries themselves.

This project will make huge difference in the lives of these older people. The quality of life of the older Ex-British veterans will be improved. They will feel less isolated by being engaged with other people sharing experiences and having fun. They will learn some culinary and gardening skills as well. They will have an improved health by attending the Yoga sessions.

This grant has been instrumental in improving health and reducing isolation and loneliness of the older ex-British Gurkha Veterans, who have been hard hit by COVID-19,

by giving them an opportunity to engage and interact among each other. This project has proved very effective in bringing community together, sharing their experiences by

building strong network. The beneficiaries got an opportunity to share their knowledge and skills each other including culinary and gardening tips and techniques whom they

had not spoken for a long time. Information on healthy living including yoga sessions have been very useful for their health. Jokes, stories and songs during sessions were

very much entertaining and refreshing. All these have certainly helped reduce their isolation and loneliness to a good extent.

19. The National Lottery Community Fund and HM Government

COVID-19 Recovery and Support for Ex-British Gurkha Older People. (2020-21)

The objective of this project is to reduce isolation and loneliness of the vulnerable Ex-British Gurkha veterans caused due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lock down shielding them and restricting their movement. This project will provide them opportunities to have an increased interaction and engagement with their community fellows that will enhance their mood/mental well-being and reduce their isolation. This will be achieved through online support for a period of five months. Programme coordinator with support from the volunteers will host the programme. They will be trained for using the laptop for participating in online meetings using software program such as zoom or Microsoft team. The participants will be contacted digitally to discuss and solicit their stories in relation to what happened to them during the pandemic, what and when did they feel most difficult, when did they become very worried and anxious, how did they manage to live, how did they manage their shopping and medical needs, what they thought was needed to manage such crisis and what do they suggest to be prepared for any possible crisis in future. Apart from the above, other activities such as singing songs, online Yoga sessions etc. will be included. Important information including the government guidelines and updates about COVID-19 will also be shared on a regular basis. The output will lead to giving an insight on what is needed in this transition for the communities to move towards recovery and renewal and what is possible in the future. A total of 20 older ex-British Gurkhas veterans from 10 household will benefit from this project. This project will make a huge difference in the lives of the proposed beneficiaries. They will reduce social isolation and loneliness and increased happiness. This is completely a new idea which has emerged due to COVID-19 Pandemic.

Before COVID-19 pandemic, CESI has been supporting this Ex-British Gurkha community in areas of increasing their access to Health and healthier living, Housing and welfare benefits, reducing their isolation and loneliness and integrating them into the local wider communities. These activities were suddenly stopped due to COVID -19 outbreak as they were shielded in their homes with movement restriction. Thus, because of COVID-19 crisis there will be increased demand for services and support for these vulnerable people. Similarly, since the idea of this project emerged from the community itself, CESI will connect communities and support communities to work together digitally to respond to COVID-19.
This project will engage them online to speak to their fellow community, get involved in activities targeted to reduce their isolation and loneliness. This will create an opportunity to come together and deliver the project successfully.

18. Active and Healthier Older People of Greenwich Project -Funded by City of London Corporation’s charitable funder, City Bridge Trust (May 2018 to April 2021)

The proposed project comes under the City Bridge Trust’s priority programme ‘Older Londoners’ which include facing challenges including ill health, isolation, lack of support and lack of respect.

We will implement project activities related to social, cultural and educational activities to encourage healthy lifestyles and reduce isolation for older people aged over 75 years.

The health awareness activities of the project will focus on three aspects of the needs of the older people. The first group of activities will focus on creation of awareness of health and healthier living such as healthier living consultation events on healthier living including food and nutrition’s, eat well, drinks, Alcohol, diabetes, cookery classes, for older people. The second group of health activities will focus on health-related trainings such as trainings on Yoga and Keep Fit including Jogging or morning walk and Long-term health management. Physical fitness trainings such as Yoga and Keep Fit will help older people for Muscle strengthening which is necessary for building and maintaining strong bones, regulating blood sugar and blood pressure and maintaining a healthy weight. These health activities will help older Londoners live more active and healthier lives and improve well-being.

Support, advice and signposting services will be provided to the older people through drop-in service five days a week (Monday to Friday at CESI Office).

The Main Activities:

Activity 1: 3 Workshops to increase health and healthier living awareness for 150 Gurkha Elderly people (both men and women aged over 75) with information and skills. This will include.

The health and healthier awareness workshop on health and nutrition and healthy eating and drinking for older people.
A training on Long-Term Health Management for older people
Alcohol and Drug abuse

Activity 2: 6 training on health exercise (Yoga) and Jogging to 150 Nepalese Ex-Gurkha aged over 75 will have demonstrated their confidence to live more active and healthier lives. This will include;

6 training on health exercise (Yoga). One-day training per week for five consequent weeks for a group of 25 people.
3 jogging exercises in a group of 17 people for 5 months period each (once a week for 60 minutes each) per year.

Activity 3: 3 volunteer training of community works especially focusing on services to elderly people as community volunteers by playing catalyst and social leadership role. This will include;

3 volunteer development trainings (Year one volunteer development full training and refresher training in year 2 and 3.) of the project period) to 10 elderly volunteers for volunteer service delivery to older Londoners

Activity 4: 3 trained Volunteers to provide services to help support 150 older people in their Health and healthier living and wellbeing. This will include;

3 volunteers engage in service delivery to the project beneficiaries, the older people for 10 days a month for three years.
3 community people develop their career as volunteer for older people in their community by playing catalyst and social leadership role.

The project will make following differences/ outcomes in the health and wellbeing of the older Londoners;

Outcome 1. Older Londoners aged over 75 years living more active and healthier lives”

150 older Londoners over 75 years who attended the workshops will have demonstrated their confidence to have accessed health services and reported improvement in their health through specialized health and healthier living training/ workshops (healthy eating, long term health management, alcohol and drug abuse) provided by the project.
150 older Londoners over 75 years who attended health trainings and workshops will have demonstrated their confidence to live more active, self-reliant and independent life.

Outcome 2: Fewer older Londoners aged over 75 years with depression and more reporting improved well-being which will show that the;

3 trained elderly Gurkha people will have exhibited their confidence as a community volunteers by playing catalyst and social leadership role.
The project activities such as training/workshops, yoga and jogging and annual excursions to bring older people together to increase cohesion and reduce isolation

I7. Second Phase Greenwich Nepalese/Gurkha Integration Project- Funded by The Big Lottery Fund-Reaching Communities (June 2016- May 2019)

The Project

The project is to facilitate the integration and wellbeing of the Nepalese community into the broader society within Royal Borough of Greenwich and Welling area of London Borough of Bexley while consolidating, sustaining and institutionalizing the achievements made by previous interventions. The following are the planned outcomes of the project:

Outcomes of the project

Nepalese people will be less isolated and more integrated into wider community as a result of participating in new social networks.

Nepalese elderly people will have increased digital and online skills as a result of learning and support provided by the project.

Nepalese elderly people will have improved health and wellbeing through specialised health and healthier consultations and training support.

Nepalese people will have increased knowledge and confidence to access local level services as a result of thematic consultation support.

.Activities

Interaction programme between Nepalese communities and other local ethnic groups, local political representatives; and encourage project beneficiaries to have informed participation in the events and festivals organised by local Boroughs and other ethnic communities.

Training to elderly Nepalese people on basic operating knowledge and skills of digital devices, use of internet and social media; and accessing online services.

Thematic consultation meeting/training on housing and welfare benefits.

Specialised meeting/training on health and healthier living issues.

Disseminate and share the success stories

The Project will use the services of the following human resources over the Project period:

Project Coordinator

Digital Literacy Facilitator ( Part time)

Health and Healthier Living Facilitator (Part time)

Community Integration Facilitator (Part time)

Volunteers

Project Evaluator

CESI would like to concentrate in three areas as follows:

Consolidate, sustain and institutionalise the achievements made by previous interventions.

This will be achieved by (a) providing training and support to 25 project volunteers and community champions to further enhance their skills, (b) mobilising volunteers to help community people to have their continued access to the services provided by the local service providers and (d) coordinating and establishing enhanced linkages between the community champions and the service providers to ensure smooth transition between organisations. These activities will be completed within one year of the project.

Continuation and expansion of the current service provisions to the community people including new arrivals as well as communities in the neighbouring areas of Welling (Bexley)

This will be achieved by (a) increasing access of 840 community people to the services provided by the voluntary and statutory service providers, (b) improving health and wellbeing of 840 Nepalese elderly people and (c) reducing isolation faced by 840 vulnerable elderly people of the Nepalese community and (d) mobilising 3 young people to work as Digital Literacy Workers to support older generations to access online services. These activities will be carried out through out the project period of three years.

Initiate and implement a process of socio-cultural integration of 840 Nepalese people into the local wider society through cultural, art and music and inter community/faith events

This will be achieved by (a) encouraging and facilitating Nepali Community people to have informed participation in the local events and festivals organised by the Royal Borough of Greenwich, (b) coordinating with local wider community organisations/ groups and making arrangements for mutual participation in the socio-cultural events, (c) organising talk/interaction programmes on British history, Heritage, culture, (d) organising visits and observations to places of historical importance, (e) organising interaction programmes with local politicians to learn about the British political and democratic system. (f) supporting Nepalese groups to organise cultural events and participating in inter-community events.These activities will be carried out through out of the project of three years.

This project is needs-led because it was developed after a long period of consultation with the beneficiaries and local service providers. Feedback received through surveys reveal that beneficiaries place significant value on these servics and satisfaction of their delivery and outcomes It involves partnership working with other local statutory and voluntary service providers; thereby increasing the opportunities for beneficiaries to access a wide range of local services.

The invlovement of beneficiaries in the Governance, Management and service delivery aspects of the project ensures that the beneficiaries have a stake in the project hence the likelihood of the project meeting the needs of the beneficiaries and achieving its outcomes. Learning from the current project along with the knowledge, skills and experiences gained through partnership working with other agencies will be effectively utilised to ensure that the project meets the needs of beneficiaries and achieves its outcomes.

We will adopt a participatory approach while managing and delivering the project activities. This will involve beneficiaries participation at all stages of the project including their representation in the CESI Management Committee, Project Steering Committe and monitoring and evaluation of project. Regular feedback from the beneficiaries as well as local service providers will be collected and reviewed to improve project performance.

The beneficiaries will be over 840 Nepalese/Gurkhas in Greenwich and adjoining parts of neighbouring boroughs. The majority of participants will be aged 60 years and over.

Target Group

Nepalese community living in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Welling of London Borough of Bexley.

16. Community Support Project (Second Phase) – Funded by The Royal British Legion (TRBL) – January 2018 – December 2018

Project Aim

The main aim of the project is to provide a customised support programme to address isolation and loneliness issues and health and wellbeing needs of the Nepalese Ex-British Gurkhas, living in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, above the age of 60 to enable them to have their health improved and to participate more fully in the community and social activities

Outcomes of the project

300 Ex-British Gurkhas will have an increased access to local level health services.
300 Ex British Gurkhas will have demonstrated an improved health condition and remain active, independent and self-reliant.
300 Ex-British Gurkhas will have felt reduced isolation and be able to mix with the local wider community.

. Output of the project

300 Ex-British Gurkhas will have received a personalised induction programme, information, advice, support and signposting.
300 Ex-British Gurkhas will have received advice, information, training and support on various health related issues.
300 Ex-British Gurkhas will have participated in various activities targeting to reduce their isolation and loneliness.

Activities

The programme of activities will include:

· A Personalised Induction programme

· Personalised support for participants whilst on the programme

· Development of a personalised action plan for each participant

· 1-2-1 support

· Signposting to other appropriate services and partnership option

· Yoga and Keep fit classes

· General health awareness sessions

· Healthy eating workshop/training

· Excursions

These activities will help the older people to manage their long term health conditions and remain active, independent and self-reliant. In addition, this will also be an opportunity for them to get together and socialise that helps them to reduce their isolation and loneliness.

The Project will use the services of the following human resources over the Project period:

Project Coordinator

Project Evaluator

Volunteers

Target Group

Nepalese community living in the Royal Borough of Greenwich

15. Community Support Project – Funded by The Royal British Legion (TRBL) – January 2017 – December 2017

Project Aim

Outcomes of the project

200 Ex-British Gurkhas will have an increased access to local level health services.
200 Ex British Gurkhas will have demonstrated an improved health condition and remain active, independent and self-reliant.
200 Ex-British Gurkhas will have felt reduced isolation and be able to mix with the local wider community.

. Output of the project

200 Ex-British Gurkhas will have received a personalised induction programme, information, advice, support and signposting.
200 Ex-British Gurkhas will have received advice, information, training and support on various health related issues.
200 Ex-British Gurkhas will have participated in various activities targeting to reduce their isolation and loneliness.

Activities

The programme of activities will include:

· A Personalised Induction programme

· Personalised support for participants whilst on the programme

· Development of a personalised action plan for each participant

· 1-2-1 support

· Signposting to other appropriate services and partnership option

· Yoga and Keep fit classes

· General health awareness sessions

· Healthy eating workshop/training

· Excursions

The Project will use the services of the following human resources over the Project period:

Project Coordinator
Project Evaluator
Volunteers

Target Group

Nepalese community living in the Royal Borough of Greenwich

14. Older People Digital Literacy Project: Funded by Peoples Postcode Trust (February 2016 – January 2017)

What is this Project about?

The project aims at empowering the elderly Nepalese people, both male and female, above the age of 65 by providing them with the knowledge and skills on how to operate the digital devices and access, retrieve and use information. 200 older people will benefit from this project by using digital online services.

Older people will not only have increased social contacts and networks which will help alleviate their loneliness and social isolation but also be able to communicate with their dispersed family members and even see photographs of their loved ones. On the whole, older people will live a happy life.

What will the Project do?

With the help of project youth volunteers older people will be able to:

Send and receive Emails
Send and receive text messages
Use Facebook
Use Viber
Use skype
Online payment of utility bills
Online banking
Online shopping
Online journey planning
Scan and upload documents

Target Group:

Nepalese/Gurkha Elderly People above the age of 60 living in the Royal Borough of Greenwich

13. Greenwich Nepalese/Gurkha Integration Project- Funded by The Big Lottery Fund-Reaching Communities (April 2013- March 2016)

The Project
The overall aim of this project is to facilitate the integration of the Nepalese community people into the Royal Borough of Greenwich broader community through targeted support to enhance employability skills, help increase access to local level services including health services provided by the statutory and voluntary organizations. The project also aims to reduce isolation of the elderly people.

Aims

Increase opportunities for employment of the Nepalese Youths through employability training and support.
Increase access of the community people to services provided by statutory and voluntary service providers.
Improve Health and Healthier living habits of the Nepalese Community.
Reduce isolation faced by the most vulnerable members of the Nepalese community.
Increase participation of the Nepalese Community in the social life of the Borough and therefore promote community cohesion.

Outcomes of the project

Increased employability opportunities of the Nepalese youths, both male and female.
Improved health and healthier living of the elderly Nepalese people, both male and female.
Increased access of the Nepalese people to local level services.
Reduced isolation of the Nepalese elderly people.

Activities

Employability skill development training and support
Thematic consultation meeting/ training on housing and welfare benefits
Specialised meeting/ training on health and healthier living issues
Social get together and observation visits to places of historical importance and broader British communities.

12. Reducing Isolation of Elderly People 2016: Funded by The Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust.

The aim of the project was to reduce isolation and improve health and well being of the Nepalese Gurkha elderly people living in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.The specific objective was to organise Yoga and keep fit classes and excursions for the Nepalese Gurkhas elderly people above the age of 65. This project has helped the older people to manage their long term health conditions and remain active, independent and self reliant. In addition, this has also been an opportunity for them to get together and socialise that helped them to reduce their isolation and depression. Altogether 100 older people, both male and female above the age of 65, have experienced an improved health and reduced isolation.

11. Elderly People’s Health and Well-being 2016: Funded by the Foyle Foundation.

The purpose of the proposed project is to help improve health and well-being of the Nepalese community older people over the age of 65 years and to reduce their isolation.The budget for a one year proposed project is £9,750. A total of 255 Nepalese Gurkha people over age of 60 year with whom we have prepared this project would benefit from this project.

10. Reducing Isolation of Elderly People 2016: Funded by Trust house Charitable Foundation.

The purpose of this project was to help reduce isolation of the Nepalese/ ex-British Gurkha elderly people over the age of 65 years. This project focused on various activities aiming at reducing Isolation by implementing the followings activities:

1. Yoga and keep fit classes
2. drop-in services for one-to-one advice and support.
3. Individual casework support .
4. Signposting to local service providers.
5. Excursion

Altogether 120 people benefited from this project.

9. Community Support Project 2013/15: Funded by The LLoyds TSB Foundation For England and Wales.

The aim of the project was to address the issues/needs of Nepales/Gurkha community in general and elderly peoples in particular in the Royal borough of Greenwich who lack access to the local services such as housing and welfare benefits, by providing information and signposting to a minimum of 350 individuals over a two year period.

Changes and the benefits the project has made:

This project has brought following benefits and chnages to the Nepalese/Gurkha people and their families.

Access to Services:

164 Nepalese/Gurkha Elderly and their family members benefited from having increased access to Housing and welfare benefits. Similarly 77 elderly Nepalese/ Gurkha have benefited to have increased access to Health services.

Community Integration

Various events and activities undertaken by the project helped integrate Nepalese Gurkhas into local communities to a greater extent.. Nepalese/Gurkha elderly people and their family are now feel more integrated in the local area and are more informed about the other communityies in the areas they live.

Volunteers and Community Champion

Volunteering culture has been developed in the community. The project has developed seven Community Champions and a number of volunteers within Gurkha community..

Community participation and Cohesion

Attending the project events and activities, the Gurkha elderly and their family members are now actively participating in their own community and in the wider community as well. This project has helped promote community cohesion within nepalese/Gurkha community as well as wider local community.

8. Organisational Capacity Building of CESI -Funded by Trust For London (2011-13)

This funding was focused on the organisational Capacity Building of CESI as a charity.
The two year funding has been used to recruit a Part time project coordinator for the organisation. The Post was responsible for:

Supporting Governance of the Organisation.
Managing the Projects Staff and Volunteers.
Managing the delivery of Project Services.

1. On governance the post provided administrative support for:

One Management Committee meeting per Month
One AGM per year.
One MC training per Year.
Monthly Work Projects Progress Reports.

2. On Project Management, the post provided support for:

Detailed Staff and volunteer Management Systems.
Casework Management Systems
Work planning and monitoring systems
Record management and record keeping, project planning and supervision
Development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation system to monitor and evaluate the project activities and output/outcome.
Enhanced projects supervision Systems
Development and management of volunteer training programmes
Developed Community events monitoring and evaluation system.
Increased CESI linkage and networking within Nepalese Ghurkha Community; and with statutory and voluntary organisations in the Royal borough of Greenwich

3. On Service Delivery, the post provided support for the following:

Development and Management of Information and advice services that will deliver Drop-in, Telephone and outreach sessions in accessible venues around the borough and in particular areas where we are aware that there is a high Nepalese and Gurkha Community people in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
Interpreting as well as translating services helped for those who speak little English. This service was delivered by trained volunteers who did initial assessments and made appropriate referral to local mainstream service providers such CAB, Law Centres, Local council etc
Development and Management of Project advocacy activities focused on gathering data to identify the range of issues directly affecting Gurkhas families; giving a voice to disadvantaged Gurkha people by highlighting their needs to local service providers and statutory agencies.

7. Nepalese Gurkha Elderly Community project-Funded by Lloyds TSB Foundation England and Wales (2011/12)

Organise a series of 12 Community events for Nepalese Gurkha Elderly people to come together in order to:

Undertake consultation on the needs of Nepalese Gurkha older people.
Provide access to advice, guidance and signposting on a range of issues and mainstream services and resources within the statutory agencies and voluntary sector.
Promote healthy living and health care services, and
To aid integration and culture within the UK.

The project facilitators and volunteers provided following services to the Gurkha elderly people and their family members..

The project facilitator and 3 volunteers were involved in consulting Gurkha elderly people and identified their needs related to health and social care, legal advice and rights, social services, leisure, welfare rights and community safety and share with key local service providers.
The Project volunteers and facilitators then provided day to day sing-posting information to the Gurkha elderly people to access a wider range of services from statutory and voluntary service providers in the London Borough of Greenwich.
The Project volunteers and facilitators organised 12 community events of Gurkha elderly people and their family members, local community , statutory and voluntary service providers on following dates.
Volunteers support to Gurkha elderly to meet their needs related to Health and safety, legal Advice/Rights, Pension, Social services including housing and scoail benefits,
Project staff and volunteers have helped Gurkha elderly people and theri family members to form and develop a Gurkha Elderly People Forum in London borough of Greenwich. This forum in named as Greenwich Gurkha Ex-servicemen Association (GGESA)

6. Greenwich Nepalese Integration Project (GNIP)- Funded by Heritage Lottery Fund (2010/11)

CESI was awarded funding for a 15 months Heritage project.The Project involved the following:
Through oral history recordings, research, photographs and items owned by Gurkha individuals and community, the project documented and disseminated the history of Gurkha participation in the British Army as well as their cultures and traditions.

This was to help a wider range of people to participate and learn about Gurkha heritage. In addition to having specialists to do the research; the project recruited and trained Gurkha volunteers to carry out research on the importance of Gurkhas in the British Army through enabling the Gurkha community to give their views on their experiences and contribution in the British Army. Also the research covered their traditions, cultures and how they wanted them promoted as well how they wanted to be engaged in their promotion. It also documented the history of the Nepalese culture and heritage. The research findings were then published and distributed to local libraries, schools, colleges, community centres, museums, a community website and other heritage centres.

It l also facilitated ex-Gurkhas to showcase and display their rich heritage at different community events in the Borough such as the Great Greenwich Get Together, community festivals, International Women’s Day, etc., which enabled the wider communities to learn about Gurkha heritage.

5. Promote Inclusion and Integration of Nepalese community in local community, funded by Trust For London (2009/10)

Organised 12 Community issue based consultation Meetings/events(1 event per month). These events include welfare rights, housing issues, immigration, health and social care, employment for Nepalese/Gurkha community
Provided 2 hours/day Drop-in advice, advocacy and signposting services at the CESI office; staffed by 10 volunteers.
Organised 3 Cross-Community events to enable the wider community of Greenwich to interact with the Nepalese Community and get to understand the Nepalese culture and promote community cohesion.

The above activities met the aims of TFL priority 1) To promote the inclusion and integration of recently established communities; 2) Information, advice and signposting services for new migrants, and 3) Activities which encourage greater understanding between different communities:

4. Nepalese Elderly Peoples Consultation Projects, funded by Awards For All – Big Lottery Fund (2009/10)

Organised 12 Nepalese Elderly Peoples Consultation Events
Organised Community Volunteers Training for 10 Community youth people
Organised two trips to 300 elderly people
Organised Capacity building training to CESI Executive Committee Members

3. Capacity Building Project funded by Capital Community Foundation(2008/09)

This programme focussed on the following three aspects to build the capacity of CESI.

Capacity building to members of CESI Management Committee in areas of Financial Management, Staff Recruitment and Management and Organisational Management.
Support in Development of Policies, Procedures and Systems for CESI as well as systems and procedures for clients needs assessment, Volunteer Time Sheets and Clients Referrals.
Training to Volunteers on Office Procedures, Clients Care and Clients representation.

2. Nepalese Community Support Programme Funded under Small Grant Fund Programme of Greenwich Council (2008/09)

Under this programme we organised two Nepalese Community events in Plumstead, Royal Borough of Greenwich, namely, Legal and Advice Service and Health & Healthier Living for Nepali Community.

A. Legal and Advice Service
In this community event we focused to:

provide a forum for Nepalese people to air their views on the issues related to Housing and Welfare Rights
provide service of translator/interpreter to make participants fully understand their queries and concerns over issues raised
encourage discussion and consideration of all viewpoints
record the response of event participants.

In this event the participants provided their feedback and suggestions for future programme areas to be organised and implemented by the CESI. The majority of attendants rated the event as very useful (68%) while a 30% considered it useful. The rate of less useful was quite low at 2%. Similarly the majority of participants (72%) rated that they have very well understood the event, while a 26 % considered it understood well.

The rate of less understanding was quite low at 2 %. Similarly, participants have recommended that similar type of programme should be organised regularly in the future. They have also recommended that programme such as information on state benefit system, programme related to culture, women, elderly and youth should be organised in the future which is shown in the following graph:

B. Health and Healthier Living of Nepali community
This programme was divided into four sessions: namely Home and Road safety; Health and Healthier Living, Cookery Demonstration and Greenwich Community Games. Each session was followed by a question and answer session.

Home and Road Safety
Main message of this programme was about the causes of Road accident, measures to be taken while crossing road and how to be safe in the home.

Health and Healthier Living
The issues and concerns of Health and Healthier Living was the main theme of this programme. Different aspects of Health and Healthier Living including the expiry date and content in food items. A pack containing information on Health and Healthier living including a First Aid Kit was given to each participant. The presentation was followed by a Healthier meal Cookery Demonstration During the event Blood Pressure check was also carried out where most of the participants checked their blood pressure. It was noted very well by the participants.

Greenwich Councils Strategy and Support to Local Community
In this presentation, the main focus was about the Councils strategy for neighbourhood development and types of support available for Local communities in this Borough.

Greenwich Community Games
This presentation covered the types of games that made available for community people for their healthier living. More than 50 people listed their name for different type of games they want to play. This was also very useful especially for young and youth people interested in games. A total of 95 participants filled out the feedback form and returned to us. The following four questions were asked in the form to rate the programme of the day.

1. Integration of the Nepalese Women (Art Project) 2017-2018

This project is funded by The Big Lottery Fund -Awards for All.

The Project

The aim of this project is to enable Gurkha/Nepalese women better cope with adapting to the major life changing event of resettlement from their homeland. This project will provide a ‘bridge’ between their culture and the culture they are in, helping to address some of the dislocation Nepali women feel when settling into a new way of life in an entirely different culture, from the farming in the mountains to a huge international city.

Through the engagement of the group this will encourage participants to tell their story and share some of their experiences, through being creative; drawing, painting, photography, puppetry, video, installation and storytelling.

Therefore, the objective of this project is to engage the Nepalese/Ghurka women in a multi-disciplined art project culminating in a touring exhibition of the art work created whilst being in the art group. This will include paintings, images, photographs and video.

The major outcome of this project is that social isolation and loneliness of 30 Nepalese women will be reduced. Secondly, they will be better integrated into the wider local community with improved English language skills and culture and being engaged in various activities.

Project activities include:

To use art and media as a way of breaking down barriers.
To provide an opportunity for the Nepalese/Ghurka women express their experience visually and orally.
To organize visit to an art gallery
To create touring exhibitions.
To provide opportunities to share their experiences and to interact with other people in the local community through organizing exhibitions of their art work.

30 Ghurka and Nepalese women over a 6-month period will work together in 2 groups. Each group will work for half a day and engage in art work facilitated by the trainer. A visit to an art gallery will also be organized where they will see and learn how to enhance their creative skills in art making. An exhibition will be organized for one week period where the Nepalese women will meet and greet many people from local communities and will be able to tell their stories and share their experiences. Local community visitors will have an opportunity to learn about the Nepalese culture and traditions reflected in the art work of the Nepalese women. It is all about the ‘’exchange’’ aspect of shared skills, language, values and culture on an equal path with the local community. This will help build confidence of the Nepalese women.