The FNC has undertakes several projects to enhance the quality of life and well-being of its members and the local community.
Jun 2025
Jul 2025
Projects & Collaborators
FNC Meetings & Social Events
Past projects & events
Jun 2025
Jun 2025
| Date | Collaborators | Project/Activity | Schedule | Additional Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/12/19/26 Jun 2025, Thursday | One you Kent | Smoke Free Program – 7 Weeks Program | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm at the FNC Centre | Registered FNC Member to Attend |
| 05 Jun 2025, Thursday | Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC) | Household Support Fund | TBC | FNC Seniors |
| 05 Jun 2025, Thursday | FHDC & KCV | Folkestone and Hythe Volunteer Awards | 17:00 pm – 20:00 pm at the Hawkinge Community Centre | Chairman & Gen Sec to Attend |
| 06 Jun 2025, Friday | Folkestone Town Council | Normandy D Day – The Normandy Remembrance Service – (1944) | 11:00 am – at the Garden of Remembrance, Sandgate Road | Chairman & ECM/Trustees/Advisors/Members |
| 08 Jun 2025, Sunday | GPF | Gurkha Charity Walk | 9:00 pm – 3:00 pm at Great Chart, Ashford | All interested FNC Members |
| 10 Jun 2025, Tuesday (Postponed) | Palm Deaf BSL Training LTD – (Postponed) | Deaf Awareness Training – (Postponed) | 12:30 pm – 5:00 pm at the FNC Centre : (Postponed) | All FNC Centre Staff / Volunteers & interested members |
| 12 Jun 2025, Thursday | FHDC, SSAFA, DWP, RBL and other services | Veterans Drop-In | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the FNC Centre | All FNC Members & all the Veterans in surrounding area |
| 15 Jun 2025, Sunday | Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC) | Community Litter Picking | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the FNC Centre | All FNC Members |
| 22 Jun 2025, Sunday | FNC Committee | Quarterly & Trustee Board Meeting | 3:30 pm – 6 :00 pm at the FNC Centre | All FNC Members, ECM, Trustees & Advisors |
| 25 Jun 2025, Wednesday | Kent County Council | Household Support Fund | 10:00 am at the FNC Centre | The General Secretary / Centre Manager will inform and support eligible members in applying for the Household Support Fund (HSF). |
| 26 Jun 2025, Thursday | Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT) | GWT Folkestone Surgery – Note: List to be summitted two weeks in advance | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the FNC Centre | All FNC Members – Veterans / Serving and Families |
| 28 Jun 2025, Saturday | Folkestone Town Council | Armed Forces Day | 11:00 am – at the Town Hall | Chairman & Gen Sec to Represent FNC |
| 28 Jun 2025, Saturday | 2RGR | RGR 31 Birthday Celebration | 13:00 pm – at the Sir John Moore Barracks | Vice Chair & Trustee to Represent FNC on discretion of Chairman |
Jul 2025
Jul 2025
| Date | Collaborators | Project/Activity | Schedule | Additional Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/10/17/24 Jul 2025, Thursday | One you Kent | Smoke Free Program – 7 Weeks Program | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm at the FNC Centre | Registered FNC Member to Attend |
| 01/08/15 Jun 2025, Thursday | Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC) | Household Support Fund | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm at the FNC Centre | FNC Seniors & All Members |
| 05 Jul 2025, Saturday | 1 Degree East | Wavelengths Festival – (Folkestone Dance Festival 2025) | 11:30 am – in Payers Park area behind Quarterhouse on Tontine Street | Chairman , Gen Sec & Cultural Secretary – All FNC Members |
| 06 Jul 2025, Sunday | Equator Festival | World in a Tent (Multicultural Festival) | 9:00 pm – 3:00 pm at Great Chart, Ashford | Chairman, Gen Sec & All FNC Members |
| 10 Jul 2025, Thursday | FNC Committee | FNC Dashain Get -Together Celebration Coordination Meeting | 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm at the FNC Centre | FNC Committee & Members |
| 10 Jul 2025, Thursday | Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust | KMPT Community Engagement & Involvement Lead | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the FNC Centre | Gen Sec /Centre Manager |
| 10 Jul 2025, Thursday | FHDC, SSAFA, DWP, RBL and other services | Veterans Drop-In | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the FNC Centre | All FNC Members & all the Veterans in surrounding area |
| 11 Jul 2025, Friday | KCC | KCC Chairman Formal Visit | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm at the FNC Centre | FNC Chair & Committee |
| 13 Jul 2025, Sunday | Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC) | Community Litter Picking | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the FNC Centre | All FNC Members |
| 15 Jul 2025, Tuesday | FNC Committee | FNC Seniors Citizen London Visit | 9:00 pm – 6 :00 pm – London | Chairman, Gen Sec & Senior Citizen Coordinator |
| 17 Jul 2025, Thursday | Leas Lift | Community Day Trip 1. Elham Valley Railway Trust (including a ride on the train and entrance to the museum) 2. Hastings West and East Hill lifts (including a return journey on the West Hill lift) 3. Hastings Contemporary exhibition (time dependent) 4. Hastings Pier | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm | Chairman, Gen Sec & invited FNC Members |
| 17 Jul 2025, Thursday | Turner Free School | TFS Community Day 2025 | TBC | Chairman & Genc Sec – TBC |
| 29 Jul 2025, Tuesday | KAB & Hi Kent | Mobile Sight & Hearing Visit | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at the FNC Centre | All FNC Members |
| 31 Jul 2025, Thursday | Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT) | GWT Folkestone Surgery – Note: List to be summitted two weeks in advance | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the FNC Centre | All FNC Members – Veterans / Serving and Families |
Projects & Collaborators
Major Projects
| Collaborators | Project/Activity | Schedule | Additional Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Education England | Community Participatory Action Research Cohort 3 Community Participatory Action Research Cohort 2 – click here for detail | 01 Oct 2024 – Sep 2025 22 May 2023 – Jun 2024 | Training and Mentoring from NHS England, University of Reading & Scottish Community Development Centre |
| University of Surrey | The PAPER Study – please click here for detail | 13 Mar 2025 – Ongoing | This study explores why some people with signs of depression don’t seek help or disengage after initial NHS support, aiming to improve future mental health services. |
| King’s College London | The HEAR study – Research for Gurkha and Fijian veterans of the UK military | 08 Jun 2025 – Oct 2025 | King’s Centre for Military Health Research |
| Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust | Smoke Free Program | 29 May 2025 – Dec 2025 | 7 Weeks Program that will run in the Centre |
| Leas Lift | Community Engagement Project | 27 Mar 25 – Mar 2026 | A collaboration between FNC and Leas Lift to engage the community through heritage trails, workshops, exhibitions, and storytelling—shaping the Lift as a shared space for all. |
| 1DegreeEast | The Wave – Folkestone Dance Festival | 08 Apr 25 – Ongoing | Community partners will showcase Nepalese cultural dance and music as part of the July Festival—a collaboration between FNC and 1DegreeEast celebrating diversity and heritage. |
| Folkestone & Hythe District Counsel | UKSPF COST OF LIVING AND WARM SPACE PROJECTS | 29 Aug 2024 – 31 Mar 2025 | FNC Centre Warm Space Hub |
| Kent Adult Education | ESOL: Beginners, Intermediate & Advance Courses and IT Courses: Beginners & Advance (Developing phase). | Sep 2022 – Sep 2025 | Response Course |
| NUYU Academy | Multiply Course, NCFE Entry Level 3 – Mathematics, & Level 3 Award in Education & Training and Skills for Life | Sep 2023 – Mar 2025 | Multiply Course – Wednesday NCFE Entry Level 3 – Saturday Education & Training at various dates |
| Armed Forces Covenant Fund | Digital & Language Inclusion | 01 Dec 2023 – 30 Nov 2024 | Forces For Change |
| NHS Kent & Medway ICB | Adult Community Health Service Engagement & Child Community Health Service Engagement Kent and Medway Integrated Care Strategy engagement | 31 May – 08 Jul 2024 05 – 31 Jul 2023 | Community Research Report by 08 Jul 2024 & 15 Jul 2024 |
| Kent County Council / Folkestone & Hythe District Council | Household Support Fund – Government Scheme for Cost of Living Crisis | FHDC: Mar 2022, Sep 2022, Apr 2023 & Sep 2024 KCC: Mar 2023, Aug 2023 & Jun 2024 | Support FNC Members/Beneficiaries to apply for food & fuel Vouchers |
| Southern Gas Network plc (SGN) & Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) | SGN Safe and Warm Communities Scheme | 01 Mar 2024 – Feb 2025 | Support in energy crisis in response to the current cost of living crisis |
| Social Enterprise Kent & Kent County Council | Community Wellbeing: Tai Chi & Food Champion – Healthy Eating | 04 Apr 2024 – Mar 2025 | Continuation of Tai Chi and new Activity Healthy Eating session will be introduce at the Centre |
| BBC, STV, Pacific Quay, Glasgow BBC, South Shore Production | BBC Antiques Road Trip Andi Oliver’s Big Bash: Food, Music & Culture | May 2025 – will be released in 6 months’ time Jun 2023 – was released on 24 Apr 2024 | Click here for detail of the program |
| Channel 5, BriteSparks Flims | Norfolk & Suffolk: Community Farm | Sep 2023 – was released on Sep 2024 | Country & Coast – Narrated by Bill Nighy Click here for detail |
| University of Kent | Engaging underserved communities in Kent Walking with Ghost click here for detail | Feb 2024 – May 2024 | Engaging young people from Kent’s ethnic minority communities with mental health research |
| Turner Schools | Diversity Week & Folkestone Talks Events | Mar, Apr, May, June 2024 | Outreaching Schools with Nepalese Indigenous Culture & Folkestone Nepalese Community and Centre Projects & Activities |
| The White House Surgery | Local GP: Support Service | 2023 – ongoing | Support GP Practice by translating, arranging an appointment and volunteering to help on large vaccination day |
| Gurkha Welfare Trust :Gurkha Welfare Advice Centre (Salisbury) | Coordination with DWP for Pension Credit and other Gurkha Welfare Matters in Nepal | 2022 – ongoing | Assist Gurkha veterans and their families, particularly those who have recently arrived from Nepal and are residing in the Folkestone area. |
| Kent Downs AONB: Pent Farm & Equatorial Festival | Farming in Protected Landscapes: Detail of the project click here | Jan/Feb 2023 – 2024 | Community Garden |
| Pro-Force | Recruitment & Training: Supporting Jobseekers around Kent | 01 Jan 2024 | Pro-Force is recruiting service – visits the Centre once a month for recruiting & training |
| Jobcentre Folkestone | Assistance and Translation Mon – Fri from 10am-4pm. | Jun 2024 | FNC Centre to coordinate with Jobcentre for the appointment for FNC members |
| Kent & Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust | Community Partners The Art of Mental Health KMPT Community Research Champions | 22 Feb 2024 – Feb 2025 | Details here |
| HiP Photography | Women of Faith Exhibition – Women International Day | Feb 2024 – Mar 2024 | Portrait Exhibition of Nepalese Indigenous |
| East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust | Patient Voice and Involvement | Feb 2024 – Dec 2024 | TBC |
| Folkestone & Hythe District Council | Veteran Hub & Monthly Community Litter Pick & Networking | Jan 2024 – Dec 2024 | 2nd week Thursday and 2nd week of Sunday of every month |
| Kent Art & Wellbeing & Young Animator Club | Animating the 200 years of Gurkha History | Jan 2023 – Mar 2024 | Animation Almost Ready & possible continuation of project for extra 6 months. |
| EK360 | Hypertension Hero | Dec 2023 – Mar 2024, Continuation Sep 2024 | Additonal outreach Program |
| Equator Festival | Multicultural Festivals | Mar 2021 – ongoing | Nepalese Holi Celebration In March & World in a Tent Music Festival in July |
FNC Meetings & Social Events
2024-2025
- FNC Forecast of Meetings & Social Events – updated 30 Jan 2025 – please click here
- FNC Forecast of Meetings & Social Events – updated 18 Nov 2024 – please click here
- FNC Forecast of Meetings & Social Events – updated 22 Sep 2024 – please click here
- FNC Notice for the 04 July 2024 General Election
- FNC Forecast of Meetings & Social Events – updated 10 May 2024 please click here
2024
- FNC Quarterly Meeting – Sunday, 14 Jan 2024, 4pm at the FNC Centre.
- FNC Annual General Meeting / Convention – Sunday, 24 March 2024 at FNC Centre.
- FNC Executive Committee Meeting – Thursday, 28 March 2024 at the FNC Centre.
- FNC Charity Integration Night at Nepalese New Year 2081 BS – Saturday, 13 April 2024 at the Hawkinge Community Centre.
- FNC Post Nepalese New Year Celebration Meeting – Friday, 10 May 2024, 6:00pm at the FNC Centre.
- FNC Quarterly Meeting/Trustees Board Meeting (1st Meeting of 9th Committee) – Sunday, 23 June 2024 at the FNC Centre.
- FNC Quarterly Meeting/Trustees Board Meeting (2nd Meeting of 9th Committee) – Sunday, 02 Sep 2024 at the FNC Centre.
- FNC Dashain Get-Together Celebration – Sunday, 29 September 2024 at the Leas Cliff Hall.
- FNC Purkha Diwas & Remembrance Sunday – Sunday, 10 November 2024.
- FNC Quarterly Meeting/Trustees Board Meeting (3rd Meeting of 9th Committee) – Sunday, 08 Dec 2024 at the FNC Centre.
2023
- FNC & KCV Partnership Board Meeting – 19 Jan 2023, 11:00 – 14:00.
- FNC General Meeting (3rd Quarterly) – 01 Jan 2023, 11:00 – 2:00 pm at the FNCC.
- FNC Annual General Meeting (AGM) – Sunday, 26 March 2023 at the FNCC.
- FNC Nepalese New Year Celebration – Friday, 14 April 2023.
- FNC and British Royal Legion Cheriton & Morehall Branch – ceremony of unveiling of Portrait of HM The King Charles at FNC Centre, 1st June 2023.
- FNC Charity Event – Saturday, 17 June 2023 – postponed due to unforeseen circumstances & venue issues, new dates will be announcing soon.
- ARMED FORCES & COMMUNITY FUN DAY – Sunday 25th June 2023 – unfortunately missed this year.
- FNC 1st Quarterly Meeting (after the AGM) – Sunday, 24 June 2023, 7:00pm at the FNCC & Zoom.
- FNC 2nd Quarterly Meeting – Sunday, 3rd September 2023, 3pm-7pm at the FNCC.
- FNC Final Coordination Meeting for 15 Oct’s event: Sunday, 08 Oct 2023, 4pm at the FNCC.
- FNC & KCV Partnership Meeting, 12 October 2023 at the FNCC.
- FNC Dashain Get-Together Celebration – Sunday, 15 October 2023 at the Leas Cliff Hall.
- FNC Post Meeting for the Dashain Get-Together Annual Gathering – 26 Oct 2023, 5:15pm at the FNCC.
- FNC Purkha Diwas & Remembrance Sunday Service & Parade – 12 November 2023, 11:00am, Town and at the FNCC.
- Board of Trustees Meeting, Thursday, 16 Nov 2023, 5:30pm at the FNCC.
Past projects & events
Contact Personnel
| Programme & Centre Manager: Maha Rai, PhD Senior Activity & Centre Coordinator: Kanchan Roka Digital Activity Coordinator: Sarita Rana Activity Coordinator: Man Kumari Gurung Digital & Language Inclusion Instructor: Abesh Rai Digital & Language Inclusion Instructor: Kumar Rai SGN Project Officer: Lingja Rai and Norbu Lama (2024 – Feb 2025) Community Researchers 2024 – 2025: Abesh Rai & Swechchha Rai Community Researcher 2023-2024: Kanchan Roka, Bijendra Singh & Norbu Lama ESOL Teacher Michele Brailsford, Kent Adult Education (Mar 2023 – Sep 2023) ESOL Teacher: Steve Green, Kent Adult Education Multiply Teacher: Martin Carnall, Nuyu Academy (2023 – Mar 2025) English Level 1 Teacher: Polly Segal, Kent Adult Education Math Functional Skills Entry Level 3 Teacher: Rasoul Fazileh, Kent Adult Education Tai chi Instructor: Kath Jones, Mei Quan Academy of Taiji Kent Cost Volunteering (KCV) Liaison: Mark Connorton (mark.connorton@kcv.org.uk) |
| Volunteers Lead FNC Senior Citizen Executive Lead: Capt. (Red) Bishnu Singh FNC Membership Lead: Advisor Harka Prasad Rai FNC Senior Citizen Volunteers Lead Coordinator: Major (Retd) Deb Pun FNC Senior Citizen Volunteers Assistant Lead: Mr Shivadhan Rai (Oct2021 – Aug 2024) English & Maths Volunteer: Swechchha Rai & Numa Limbu Water Colour Painting & Craft Instructor: Capt. (Retd) Gyan Limbu (2021 – 2023) Nepalese Handicraft Volunteers Led: Padma Bega Limbu Stich & Chat Volunteers Led: Janet Johnson, Jenny Rivers & Wendy Lodge FNC Centre Housekeeping Volunteers: Padma Bega Limbu, Nagendra Rai & Narmaya Limbu |
| FNC Project & Centre Trustee Chair Trustee Capt. (Retd) Ram Pun |
| FNC Centre Out of Office Contact: FNC Trustee Chandra Gurung – 07525 629958 FNC Trustee Jhapindra Thapa – 07912 433102 |