The Legacy of Lieutenant Neal Turkington

Lieutenant Neal Turkington came from a strong military background. He was a platoon Commander with the First Battalion of the Gurkha Rifles alongside Major James Joshua Bowman and Corporal Arjun Pun when they came to their untimely death on duty in Afghanistan. Neal was just 26 years of age.

Following the death of their son, Ivor and Marie along with family and friends of Neal, set up The Neal Turkington Nepal Project (NTNP) to honour and remember Neal.

The Neal Turkington Nepal Project

The aim of the Project was to raise £55,000 to pay for a school building in the remote village of Nepal. Neal’s family and friends continued to work tirelessly to raise funds, and the Project was so successful that the fundraising target was exceeded by almost treble to reach over £144,000.

The Project funded construction of not only one but two brand new, earthquake resilient school buildings – one in Thansing village in Lamjung district in mid-west Nepal and another Gadi Secondary School in Phidim in eastern Nepal, the latter of which also includes substantial upgrading of boarding facilities hostel for blind pupils.

Neal’s legacy continues.

The Early Childhood Development (ECD) classrooms in Gadi Secondary School were recently refurbished with child friendly table and chairs, new carpets on the floor and learning materials.

The Project is currently funding a comprehensive teacher training programme for Early Childhood Development teachers in partnership with CAIRN Trust, a UK based charity dedicated to helping children in rural villages in Nepal.

“Along with his legacy through school construction and the teacher development programme, bringing continued educational benefits to some of the most vulnerable children in remote parts of Nepal, Neal has also been a disciple of promoting the personal and humanitarian benefits of volunteering.”

Thank you to all who have donated to the project in Neal’s memory.