Gurkhas to get help for health services in Reading

Former Gurkhas and their families in Reading are to get help in accessing health and social care, from Reading borough council

Reading borough council said many members of the community lacked the language or cultural skills to understand and engage with the services available.

Earlier this year the Council – on behalf of the Reading Community Covenant Partnership – bid for a Community Covenant Grant. The aim of the bid was to fund a project which would provide help to Gurkha veterans and their families, improve their own health and well-being by providing them with the skills they need to access the vital services.

Reading was successful in its £21,730 bid. The funding will now be used to run a series of ‘Health Weeks’ – a combination of group workshops, individual consultations and less formal events which will provide a suitable place for learning.

As many as 3,000 people could benefit from the sessions, the council said.

The Gurkhas are military units in the British or the Indian army (Gorkhas) enlisted in Nepal.