BRITAIN-NEPAL MEDICAL TRUST - BBC lies end Chris' fund-raising..

Chris Chadwell has never made a big-deal about his fund-raising for this charity (or other charities) - though a local scientist who knew him, could not work out, why Chris devoted time to raise money for a charity, when he was struggling financially himself? His efforts towards 'The Britain-Nepal Medical Trust' (BNMT) began in 2000-2002 with a series of 'Peter Wallington Memorial Lectures' to specialist horticultural societies around England (when they would make a donation to the BNMT in lieu of Chris' lecture fee), in memory of Peter, originally a volunteer TB-vaccinator for the trust (his GP father had volunteered in the early years of the trust's existence), who was passionate about the people and plants of Eastern Nepal. Chris has continued raising funds since then both one-off donations from societies & other fund-raising activities. In November 2009, Gay Peck, the then, long-term Company Secretary/Administrator contacted Chris. She was in the process of putting together their next annual report and wished to put a short piece about his fundraising efforts for BNMT, "CHRIS CHADWELL, a modern day plant hunter specialising in the Himalaya, has, over the years, raised considerable sums for the Trust through his talks and slide presentations to numerous clubs and societies. During the past year he has again been entertaining audiences with his plant hunting experiences and donating proceeds towards our work in Nepal." She wished to have a picture of Chris taken in Nepal. Chris replied that he was not a great one for having pictures of himself taken during his expeditions in the Himalaya (he has relented a little in recent years, as can be seen on this web-site) as he realises one or two such images are always well-received at his digital presentations - helping to prove he really has been to the places he covers, and suggested that images of Nepalese plants would be more appropriate. He wished to have a sentence added to the above about his studies on plants utilised in Tibetan/Himalayan medicine, in light of the 'medical' (albeit Western) theme of the trust.

The majority of those who donate and fund-raise in the UK are comfortably off, in a secure position. Well, since Chris' reputation has been destroyed by, would you believe, a 'middle-class' Nepalese journalist who grandly describes himself as the 'Environment Correspondent' for BBC World Service (though is prone to pretend to be working for the more prestigious BBC Radio 4 'Today' programme, to trick people into agreeing to be interviewed, on different topics, in an attempt to accumulate 'evidence' against his victims), see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35699297. Yet, this so-called journalist was being 'economical with the truth' (as they say in Parliament), twisting and insinuating (as is his wont) within the article (and his previous ones); why not find out the truth: https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/flawed-tabloid-level-on-line-bbc-article After reading the evidence, who do you believe, Chris Chadwell or the BBC (perhaps some of you automatically trust the BBC - time you started questioning their over-paid staff)?

Following the appearance of the on-line article (which two years later, still appears at the top or near the top of any internet searches about Chris Chadwell and numerous, totally unrelated subjects - I wonder how much the BBC pays for this to happen and will be there for posterity) a specialist horticultural society cancelled the lecture tour it had agreed to organise the following year, specifically to raise funds for the Britain-Nepal Medical Trust (not that they were going to donate to the trust themselves but Chris could donate his lecture fees and with donations from individual members thanks to Chris' efforts, between £1-2000, would have been raised, with further funds subsequently due to individuals agreeing to make annual donations; this amount, converted into Nepalese Rupees and used in Nepal, represented a not insignificant amount - though nothing to ridiculously over-paid senior BBC staff).

Since Chris' mistreatment, he has understandably, questioned why, since he has devoted much of his adult life (without being paid a penny) to the study, cultivation and conservation of Himalayan flora (with the officials and botanists in India and Nepal not taking the slightest interest), earns well below the minimum wage for what work he can secure, should be dumb enough to continue raising funds to help the poor in Nepal? He has since cancelled his remaining lectures to clubs and societies in lieu of lecture fees and decided, whilst BBC senior staff continue to be obscenely paid, to end his fund-raising activities for Nepal. For the record, Chris has been seriously ill for a decade, being in major pain for much of every day, which has proven physically and mentally debilitating. At the time of being pestered by the 'journalist', ill-informed and ignorant of the subject he was being paid by the BBC to 'investigate' and then 'publication' of the false accusations, Chris struggled to cope (delivering his lectures, one of his few sources of income, was frequently a challenge; not driving, he travels by bus and train; internal adrenalin would see him through most lectures but he was frequently exhausted on the return journey, when it often took every ounce of physical and mental strength, not to collapse on platforms) and has only recently recovered sufficiently to attempt to defend himself and set the record straight - though taking on the BBC is no easy matter. Being treated in this way has caused much distress:https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/distress-caused-to-chris-chadwell-by-adverse-publicity

IF, Chris Chadwell was "guilty, as charged", why would he be drawing attention to the matter? He may have been dumb to devote his adult life caring about the flora, environment and peoples of the Himalaya (though not the governments and officials) but he is not a complete fool (beyond expecting the BBC to only employ honest and competent staff) realising that few in his audiences bother to read on-line articles by the BBC, so only become aware of the accusations against Chris by the matter being drawn to their specific attention. Chris is now able to "stand up for himself" but also to help defend others, both less well-known than himself and much higher profile figures, who are routinely abused by journalists who act as "laws unto themselves". They could not behave like that in a court of law but know their BBC bosses will "cover their backs" and that few of their victims will have the confidence or sufficient command of English to protest. And the BBC knows that in almost every case, they will "get away with it". After all, who has the resources to take on the BBC legally. Chris made a formal written complaint to the Head of BBC World Service about the journalist concerned - the written response insinuated and also was "economical with the truth". Clearly, the BBC knows full well the tabloid-level of journalism they will get from employing such journalists.... To them, Chris Chadwell is a 'nobody', of no consequence. Let us see but much depends on those who take the time to read the evidence and hold, the BBC to account. The BBC gets away with this conduct because, collectively allow it.

And, surprise, surprise, the BBC has no interest in investigating 'senior' figures who endorse fraudulent charities. I wonder why? Will Chris be brave (or foolish) enough to expose the famous people (you would be shocked), who contribute to large sums being donated and wasted on fake projects..... Is that not an evil which should be exposed? However, being a 'whistle-blower' is not a comfortable experience. Chris is not going to be popular in some quarters....

ANYHOW, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY CHRIS NO LONGER RAISES MONEY FOR NEPAL - AS EVER, IT IS THE POOR IN NEPAL WHO SUFFER, CERTAINLY NOT THE BBC OR ITS OBSCENELY OVER-PAID SENIOR MEMBERS OF STAFF. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY LOOK THEMSELVES IN THE MIRROR IN THE MORNING? A THROUGHLY DISHONOURABLE BUNCH.

CHRIS CHADWELL IS GENUINE (DESPITE WHAT ONE TABLOID-LEVEL JOURNALIST HAS SUGGESTED) AND TRUSTWORTHY WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN THE HIMALAYA, HAVING VISITED NEPAL SEVERAL TIMES - HE CARES DEEPLY ABOUT HIMALAYAN FLORA, ITS ACTUAL CONSERVATION RATHER THAN FALSE AND FAKE CLAIMS ALONG WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AND PEOPLES OF THE REGION. DESPITE EXTENSIVE TRAVELS IN THE INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT AND HAVING LED SOME 24 BOTANICAL EXPEDITIONS ACROSS THE HIMALAYA, HE HAS NEVER PAID A BRIBE! HE CAN VOUCH FOR THE BNMT; THEY ARE IDEALLY PLACED TO USE WELL ANY MONIES RAISED. THEY WOULD NOT HAVE SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS ADVISORY PANEL NOR THE SUPPORT OF SUCH FIGURES AS CHRIS BONINGTON (WHO IS NO FOOL) IF IT DID NOT CONDUCT ITSELF HONOURABLY - THE SAME, CANNOT BE SAID FOR ALL SO-CALLED CHARITIES, INCLUDING, SADLY, THOSE VOUCHED FOR BY SOME VERY BIG NAMES, WHO IT SEEM ARE 'INNOCENTS ABROAD', HAVING BEEN "TAKEN IN" (I AM ADOPTING A HIGHLY 'CHARITABLE' ASSESSMENT OF THEIR CONDUCT - YOU WOULD BE SHOCKED IF YOU NEW WHOSE THESE FIGURES.... THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CHALLENGES IN "MAKING THINGS HAPPEN" IN NEPAL BUT THE TRUST HAS A GOOD "TRACK RECORD" .

*PLEASE NOTE THAT EVERY £ GIVEN GOES MUCH FURTHER IN NEPAL THAN IT WOULD IN THE UK, MAKING ANY AMOUNT RAISED EVEN MORE EFEFCTIVE.

FOR A SUMMARY OF HOW SOME OF THE MONEY RAISED IN 2015 WAS SPENT, SEE IMMEDIATELY BELOW:

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Front Cover of annual report for the BNMT

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MATTHEW CHADWEL (CHRIS' ELDEST SON) DURING A VISIT TO THE TRUST'S KATHMANDU HEAD OFFICE

(Photo: Matthew Chadwell)

Chris Chadwell first learnt of the 'Britain-Nepal Medical Trust' when he met the late Peter Wallington, who gave a slide-presentation to a gathering of 'The Himalayan Plant Association' at the Threave School of Gardening, National Trust for Scotland in 1990. Peter, who was passionate about Nepal and the plight of people in remoter parts of Eastern Nepal, had been a volunteer TB-Vaccinator for the Trust; his father a GP, had been a medical volunteer in the early days of the organisation. When Peter was tragically knocked down and killed by a car outside his home a few years later, Chris utilised some of Peter's fine slides of the people and scenery of Nepal (combined with his own of the plants) to give a series of lectures to raise funds for the trust by agreeing to speak without a fee, in return for the clubs and societies making a donation to the trust.

DISCUSSIONS WITH BNMT STAFF AND LOCAL VILLAGERS (Photo: Britain-Nepal Medical Trust)

PRAYER FLAGS, ANNAPURNA HIMAL (Photo: Matthew Chadwell)

BUDDHIST SHRINES, KATHMANDU (Photo: Matthew Chadwell)

INFORMAL 'THEATRE' AND STORY-TELLING ARE EFFECTIVE METHODS OF HEALTH-EDUCATION

(Photo: Britain-Nepal Medical Trust)

YOUNG PATIENT BROUGHT TO A HEALTH CAMP (Photo: Britain-Nepal Medical Trust)

BNMT HEALTH-WORKER DISPENSING MEDICINES (Photo: Britain-Nepal Medical Trust)

MANY VILLAGES IN NEPAL ARE REMOTE - days of walking from nearest road (Photo: Matthew Chadwell)

BNMT HEALTH-WORKER EXAMINING PREGNANT LADY (Photo: Britain-Nepal Medical Trust)

VILLAGERS IN EAST NEPAL WAITING OUTSIDE BNMT CLINIC (Photo: Britain-Nepal Medical Trust)

BUDDHA'S EYES, KATHMANDU (Photo: Matthew Chadwell)

TRUST'S HEAD OFFICE IN KATHMANDU (Photo: Britain-Nepal Medical Trust)

MATTHEW WITH TRUST CO-DIRECTORS, 2011 (Photo: Matthew Chadwell)

BNMT VEHICLES AT HEAD-OFFICE IN KATHMANDU, 2011 (Photo: Matthew Chadwell)

STATUE OF HINDU GOD (Photo: Matthew Chadwell)

STATUE OF BUDDHA (Photo: Matthew Chadwell)

WORLD AIDS DAY IN NEPAL {PART SPONSORED BY BNMT} (Photo: Britain-Nepal Medical Trust)

TB-HIV CONTROL (Photo: Britain-Nepal Medical Trust)

Chris Chadwell gave a free lecture on PLANT HUNTING IN NEPAL at the above festival, which provided an opportunity to draw attention to the work of THE BRITAIN-NEPAL MEDICAL TRUST

SEE BRITAIN-NEPAL MEDICAL TRUST WEB-SITE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

http://www.britainnepalmedicaltrust.org.uk/

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OTHER FUND-RAISING FOR HIMALAYAN COUNTRIES:

THE BHUTAN SOCIETY TRUST FUND

Sale of plants at Kohli Memorial Himalayan Garden, Slough in May 1996.

THE YUTHOG FOUNDATION, LADAKH, INDIA

Organisation of donations to Tsewang Smanla - a doctor of traditional Tibetan Medicine at this Foundation, following a talk he gave about Tibetan Tibetan Medicine at Langleywood School, Slough, where Chris was serving as a governor.

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ADDITIONAL BRITAIN-NEPAL MEDICAL TRUST ANNUAL REPORT FRONT COVERS