UK Nepali community serving to people amidst coronavirus spread

– Krishna Prasad Sharma

In a gesture of humanity, a Nepali community in Aldershot town in England has launched a volunteer service amid coronavirus spread.

The town houses a dense settlement of ex-British Gurkhas and their families. The local Shiva Cultural and Community Centre launched the initiatives at a time when the UK government has advised people to avoid crowd and stay inside house as far as possible over the infection.

The campaign aims to spread awareness and save people’s lives from the infection, said social worker Bikram Bhattarai.

As part of the service, volunteers purchase and deliver goods and medicines to those who are in isolation and quarantine zones, and provide necessary advice, he said.

The number of volunteers has reached 10 so far and the figure is increasing, he said, adding that the service would be expanded to other bordering areas, Kyambali and Frimley.

"It takes long time before a helpline (number 111) responds to a phone call. So keeping this in view, there was a need for sharing communications and suggestions among each other to fight the virus," said a volunteer Bhim Baniya.