Committee Members 2017/2018
Mr Roger Potter MBE
Chairman
Roger Potter first trekked in Nepal in 1967 whilst serving with VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) in Bangladesh. He has returned on many occasions, even spending his honeymoon in the Lamjung Himal. He joined The Britain-Nepal Society in 1983, becoming Vice-Chairman in 1993. He succeeded Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Birch as Chairman in 2012.
Ms Alison Marston
Chairman of Younger Members Committee
Alison Marston was born and raised in Nepal, where her family have lived for 40 years and speaks Nepali as her first language. Educated in Kathmandu and latterly at Stowe School in England, for the past 20 years Alison has worked on various charitable and humanitarian projects for Nepal and has extensive and in-depth knowledge of the country. Alison was introduced to the society by her father, a former Gurkha Officer in 2005 and is working to encourage new young members to join the Society.
Mrs MJ Streather
Honorary Secretary
After 35 years as a Marketer in the food industry MJ joined the Britain Nepal society as Honorary Secretary in 2015. The daughter of an ex 4th Gurkha and ex GTR Officer – Peter Attack, and the daughter in law of an ex 6th Gurkha and Himalayan Mountaineer Tony Streather, it seemed appropriate to continue her interest and love of Nepal and the Gurkhas.
Mr Ashley Adams
Vice-Chairman
Ashley Adams spent his career in MOD working in Whitehall and military establishments at home and overseas.Ashley first paid duty visits to Nepal in the 1970s leading Gurkha pay reviews and later as Command Secretary to British Forces Far East. He joined the Society on return to UK and has regularly supported charities in Nepal.Elected to the Society Committee in 2012 he has taken a special interest in fostering links between schools in Britain and Nepal.
Colonel Rupert Litherland
Honorary Treasurer
Over a thirty year career as a 10th Gurkha, Rupert carried out several duty assignments in Nepal and has visited since leaving the Army to trek and visit old comrades. On retirement from the Army he was the Bursar at Stowe, so when the Chairman who had taught there, tapped him on the shoulder he answered the call in an effort to try to put something back into the special relationship between Britain and Nepal. He has been the Hon Treasurer and Membership Secretary since 2013.
Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Birch
Journal editor
Gerry joined the Society in 1964 following a tour of duty as Signals Officer in Dharan, the Gurkha recruiting depot. The Gurkhas and Nepal featured throughout the rest of his military career in Queen’s Gurkha Signals. His final tour of duty was as Military Attaché in Kathmandu. He was chairman of the Society 2003 to 2012. He has been editor of the journal since 1998.
Full list of committee members 2017/2018
| President: | His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester KG, GCVO |
| Patron: | His Excellency The Ambassador of Nepal Dr Durga Bahadur Subedi |
| Vice-Presidents | Mrs Celia Brown Sir Neil Thorne OBE, TD, DL Mrs Pat Mellor Sylvia Countess of Limerick CBE Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Birch Mrs Jenifer Evans Field Marshal Sir John Chapple GCB, CBE, DL |
| Committee (2017/18) | Mr Roger Potter MBE Chairman Mr Ashley Adams Vice-Chairman Mrs MJ Streather Honorary Secretary Col Rupert Litherland Hon Treasurer & Hon Membership Secretary Mrs Minu Chhibber Mrs Annie Page Mr Gavin Edgerley-Harris Mr Andy Sparkes Mr Balmakund Joshi Mrs Sneha Rana Mrs Maggie Solon Ms Alison Marston Dr Mark Watson Mrs Arati Shrestha Colonel Peter Sharland CBE |
| Ex Officio | TBC Chairman of Younger Members Committee Mr Sharad Raj Aran (Deputy Chief of Missions), the Nepalese Embassy Ms Jennifer Nelson rep. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office Major MK Rai MBE rep. HQ BDE Gurkhas Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Birch Journal editor |
