Scottish Rugby to support Nepalese community struck twice by tragedy

Scottish Rugby is supporting a remote Nepalese community in the foothills of Everest that has been struck twice by disaster.Last year, the village of Phortse in the Solu Khumbu region, saw 16 Sherpas, who are integral to climbing and trekking in the Himalayas, die in an avalanche on the Khumbu icefall.Scottish Rugby was approached by James Lamb from Falkland in Fife, who runs Tengboche Trekking, which organises tours of the area and works with local Sherpas and Buddhist monks at the most significant monastery in the Everest region, Tengboche Monastery.Mr Lamb was visiting Nepal last month and we provided him with rugby kit, including jerseys, shorts, socks and balls, as a donation to the families who lost their fathers and loved ones last April.He made his delivery and was at Kathmandu airport preparing to fly back to the UK when a massive earthquake struck Nepal ten days’ ago.Basics neededMr Lamb told this website: “As far as I know the women, children and close friends of the Sherpas who died last year all survived the earthquake but, right now, they are in desperate need of the basics of life, really, food, water and shelter.”They do have some makeshift tents but the sooner we can get aid to them the better. “I know the Disasters Emergency Committee have set up an appeal and people may donate via their website dec.org.uk or by calling 0370 60 60 900. Our own charity  The Little Sherpa Foundation is also welcoming donations via the donate button on the contact page of www.tengbochetrekking.com.”Scottish Rugby’s President, Ian Rankin, said: “The plight of the Nepalese people is desperate.”The photographs of the donation of old Scottish Rugby kit are very moving and now we have the opportunity to offer additional help to this community, affected last year by avalanche and, within the last few days, by earthquake.”We will be undertaking a charity collection on behalf of the DEC appeal through our charity partner, Save the Children, at the final regular games of the Guinness PRO12 on Saturday 16 May – at Scotstoun Stadium for the Glasgow Warriors v Ulster match; and at BT Murrayfield for the Edinburgh Rugby v Leinster game – and we know how generous our supporters can be, so we would ask them to support this cause.”