Aldershot Town are delighted to announce a new partnership with Nepalese charity Sahara UK and a special fundraising match at the Electrical Services Stadium on Sunday 19 October.
The match, which kicks off at 1pm, will see Sahara UK face The Shots’ Academy side, with a return fixture planned as part of the AAHA Gold Cup in Nepal in January 2015.
In formally adopting The Shots as their football club to help forge greater links within the community, Rushmoor’s Nepalese population have already purchased advertising boards within the stadium and will further invest in the Club in the near future. Aldershot Town coaching staff will also help the Sahara UK squad in their training sessions.
Based in Farnborough, Sahara UK is a charity dedicated to alleviating poverty in the Pokhara region of Nepal, where the original Sahara FC is based. Founded in 2008 by Navin Gurung after leading a visit to the region by fellow British Midland Airways staff, he first became involved in the AAHA Gold Cup in 2005, when he took some of the best young Nepalese footballers from the UK to Pokhara.
The profits from the tournament were spent on improving the welfare of 18 underprivileged boys under the supervision of the Sahara club. Sahara Nepal also funded a sports centre and youth hostel for underprivileged children.
Working alongside branches in Norway, Germany and Italy, Sahara UK and the Pokhara Academy Children’s Trust have previously held fundraising events, including football tournaments, concerts and dinners, across Europe and in Nepal.
With the Nepalese community making up 10% of the population in the Borough of Rushmoor, and the strong historic links forged by the Gurkhas’ long and distinguished service to the British Army, Aldershot Town FC gives its full support to the work of Sahara UK.
Aldershot Town Chairman, Shahid Azeem, said: “The Nepalese community play a huge role in the culture and economy of our town, and we recognise the commitment that generations of families have made to supporting this country’s Armed Forces. We greatly value their contribution to Aldershot and are sure that this partnership will make a huge difference to both parties. In return, we hope that we can help to make a difference to the lives of people in Nepal.”
