Paul’s Story
“I may be older and perhaps wiser now (and I certainly have more grey hair), but I would not do anything differently. I strongly believe it was meant to be that that leaflet was posted through our door. Some may call it fate; I believe spiritually that Helen and I were destined to go on that first trek. The Nepalese call it Karma.”
Here is the story of how I became one of the co-founders of New Futures Nepal in 2002:
I remember as a young boy, my father telling me of the bravery of the Nepalese Gurkha soldiers and of Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay’s successful ascent of Mount Everest. However, I never dreamed that one day I would meet real Gurkha soldiers and see Mount Everest for myself, trekking to Everest Base Camp.
I am married to Helen Crook; a fellow co-trustee (please read her personal story) and we have two lovely sons together. During my own youth and early twenties, I experienced many sports and outdoor activities through the Scout Movement (such as; camping, backpacking, hill walking, and competitive orienteering). I enjoy new challenges and the great outdoors, and when our sons became older (although still quite young) Helen and I introduced them to camping, hill walking e.t.c..
When Helen and I both celebrated our 40th birthdays around 2001, we both agreed we wanted to do something special, but did not know what. Maybe it was fate, but around this time we had an unsolicited leaflet posted through the front door of our home inviting participation in a charity trek to Nepal raising funds for the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) ‘Give Us A Break Scheme’ (which provides disadvantaged children the opportunity to spend a few days experiencing the UK countryside). As we had two sons aged 13 and 11, and with the trek being during term time, I volunteered to stay home but encouraged Helen to sign up for the trek. I said I would help her fundraise the sum of money the YHA required to go. Helen’s parents however, were adamant that I too should go with Helen so that we could share the experience together in later years. Our family, friends, church, employers, and many of my clients were supportive and also encouraged us both to go, so after some thinking we both signed up to go.
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We soon surpassed the minimum amount to secure our places on the YHA charity trek and attended a training weekend in the Brecon Beacons (staying in a tiny YHA hostel during a rather wet weekend). The aim of the weekend was to give us basic information about what to expect in Nepal, but nothing really prepared us for the real thing. Little were we to know that during the training weekend we were to meet a number of fellow participants who have become lifelong friends, supporters, and trustees of what was to become New Futures Nepal.
As they say; ‘From little acorns grow mighty oak trees!’
Fast forward to February 2002. We gathered tentatively at London Heathrow Airport and met most of the other participants of the trek (we flew via Doha to Kathmandu). I vividly recall the flight approach to Kathmandu, with the aircraft banking left and right to traverse up the valley from India. It felt at times as if you could almost touch the mountain tops and the villages along the way. My first impressions of Kathmandu hit all my senses. The colours, smells, and sounds were unique and something I had never experienced before. The traffic seemed to be chaotic with a plethora of motorbikes and old vehicles competing for space. There were electricity cables draped everywhere, and there seemed to be no uniformity. The people however seemed happy as they went about their daily lives. What struck me most was seeing real poverty for the very first time. The Nepalese people however seemed very friendly and welcoming to us.
At the hotel, we met all the 35 trekkers on the trek plus the Sirdar (Head Guide) and the sherpas (Guides) who were to lead us. We were split into two teams, Red and Green. I was in the Green team. I do not remember sleeping too much that night through excitement.
“On returning to Kathmandu, several trekkers asked to visit this orphanage. It was this visit that really changed my life. I realised that with a little money, a huge difference could be made to some of the world’s most vulnerable people”
We started our trek the next day and our sherpa guide was Ram Thapa. He had a lot of experience of trekking and told us of his own summit attempt of Mount Everest. During the trek we came to know Ram and the other sherpas. Ram explained that when not working, he was helping a small orphanage near Kathmandu, using the end of trek tip money he earned from treks like ours. On returning to Kathmandu, several trekkers asked to visit this orphanage. It was this visit that really changed my life. I realised that with a little money, a huge difference could be made to some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Others felt the same too, so on our return to the UK, several of us arranged to meet up and see what we could do. Later we teamed up with Lynne McCutcheon, and about 12 of us met at her home in March 2002. This was to be the foundation of New Futures Nepal. I volunteered to be the first treasurer given my financial background.
Working for a leading Private Bank as a Senior Private Banking Manager and Financial Advisor provided me with a broad knowledge of business and personal financial matters, which I began to use to guide New Futures Nepal with its financial matters. Family, friends, our church, my employer, plus many of my clients encouraged me to do more however, giving supportive advice and money. I told everyone about my experience and unbeknown to me, my employer nominated me for my employer’s ‘Individual Volunteering Award of the year’ in their Global Community Awards 2004. I was summoned, and flew to Edinburgh where I was interviewed. I recall meeting other nominees and hearing some truly inspiring tales of their charitable and good cause work. To my surprise, of the hundred or so nominees from all around the world, I was awarded the ‘Runner-Up. The winner was really inspiring, converting redundant ‘tugboats’ from the River Clyde to work as hospital ships in the Amazon. Wow!
Over the years I have enjoyed working as a team with other trustees and supporters of New Futures Nepal and constantly think how fortunate New Futures Nepal is in having individual volunteers who have amazing qualities and skills (which when combined give a formidable skill set). Since 2002, Helen and I have returned to Nepal many, many times to undertake work for New Futures Nepal and also to go trekking on some spectacular classic routes (such as; Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Sanctuary, and the Annapurna Circuit).
Looking back to that unsolicited leaflet being posted through our door, I never expected that the experience of participating in that trek would change my life and that I would be able to bring the skills I have to help disadvantaged and disabled people of Nepal. I am so encouraged that new and younger trustees and supporters have joined the unique charity which we call New Futures Nepal. I believe it will continue to grow and undertake worthy projects well into the future.
I may be older and perhaps wiser now (and I certainly have more grey hair), but I would not do anything differently. I strongly believe it was meant to be that that leaflet was posted through our door. Some may call it fate; I believe spiritually that Helen and I were destined to go on that first trek. The Nepalese call it Karma.
Paul Crook
“On returning to Kathmandu, several trekkers asked to visit this orphanage. It was this visit that really changed my life. I realised that with a little money, a huge difference could be made to some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Others felt the same too. This was to be the foundation of New Futures Nepal.”