Royal Borough of Greenwich is historically associated with armed forces The Royal Artillery Barracks is situated in Woolwich and was the home of the Royal Artillery from 1776 until 2007. Thus naturally, there are many in-service and armed forces veterans are either serving or living in the local area. As army personnel and their families mostly interact and socialise within their community, it is seen that they are not well integrated with civilian community even after their retirement. Whereas civilian community is not always aware of armed forces’ achievements and contribution to the community and the nation. Skills & Care, working with various organisations, like M&S and Ministry of Defence have previously conducted events for Gurkha elderlies.
As the season of Teej (Festival celebrated by women in Nepal and India) nears, it would be a fantastic opportunity to curate an event for the Gurkha elderlies to celebrate the festival of Teej. The event will see people of different background coming to the Charlton Athletic Community trust, a regular venue that has been used by the Gurkha ladies for over 5 years now. It will be an afternoon of fun and celebration. The event provides a place to socialise, create new friends, and allow them to share their experiences with each other. As Gurkhas are integral part of the British Army and Greenwich being the borough where the largest population of Gurkha veteran resides, the event will cater to Gurkha Widows and veterans.