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Gurkhas raise the flag on
the Age Concern building - video by Luke Hollands

Story by Nick Lillitos

Gurkhas have raised the flag where others fear to tread.

Builders asked to put up a flag on an Age Concern building said
it was too high and dangerous, but volunteers from the regiment
came to the rescue.

The flag has not flown from the building - on Everist Court
(sic) - for 30 years.

"We asked the Gurkhas if they would help out and received a very
enthusiastic response," said John Brooks, who works for Age Concern
in Lyminge.

"The flag has not flown since the 70’s when it was originally a
council building.

"But we took over the whole building about 18 months ago and
thought it would be good to have the Union Jack flying over us.

"We approached some builders but they were not too keen to do it
as they thought it too dangerous.

The flag pole on the roof is about 20 feet high and it would
entail resting a secured ladder against it, and then climbing to
the top of the pole to attached the flag to a pully.

"Age Concern then approached the Gurkhas and they were only too
happy to do it for us."

A hoisting ceremony on Wednesday saw the Union Jack flag raised
by two Gurkha soldiers at the building, in Lyminge, near Folkestone
in Kent.

Also attending were Gurkha representatives, including Folkestone
town Councillor Dhan Gurung, and Gopal Giri, the town’s Nepalese
community leader, and member of the funding-raising committee for
building a statue in memory of fallen Gurkhas.

It will cost about £50,000 to erect the monument and so far just
over £15,000 has been collected.

"What the Gurkhas did for us is potentially quite dangerous," Mr
Brooks told Kent Online. "We are very grateful for their swift
response. We owe them a lot."

Mr Giri commented: "We want to contribute to our local community
and are proud to help them in anyway we can."

Readers who would like to support the building of the Gurkha
statue can get details from the Gurkha Memorial Fund.