A restaurant in East Sheen has raised £2,750 for flood relief in Nepal after hosting two charity meals.
Annapurna Nepalese Restaurant, run by 61-year-old Sheen resident Raj Sharma, held a charity lunch on Sunday, September 20, followed by a dinner on Monday, September 21.
Devastating flash floods hit Nepal on 26 August, killing at least 1,455 people and leaving more than 5,000 missing. Thousands of people also lost their homes and livelihoods, while roads, bridges and other infrastructure were destroyed or badly damaged
Sharma said the idea for the fundraiser came after he saw images of the damage caused by the floods.
He said: “When we saw the pictures going viral of the Nepal floods, it was really heartbreaking. And not being there and not being able to do anything was even more disappointing.
“We thought we have to do something from here and we need to raise money to help them. My family still lives in Nepal, fortunately they are safe.”
Guests also made additional donations, with many paying more than the cost of their meals into a donation box.
Sharma said the disaster had also affected people he knows personally.
He said: “I have many friends here and their friends were badly affected by the disaster.
“One of them had a hotel and the whole hotel was completely washed away. Three generations of a family were wiped off.”
The money raised by the restaurant has been sent to Nepal’s official Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund.
Sharma said the response exceeded expectations.
He added: “We were hoping to raise no more than £1,300, but we managed to raise more than double that.”
Wine merchant Wineservice also supported the fundraiser, with managing director Nick Hillman donating 12 bottles of wine and encouraging 18 friends to attend the event.
Hillman, who has previously visited Nepal, said he was keen to give something back to a country where he had experienced a lot of hospitality.
He said: “I was lucky enough to visit Nepal when I was younger and received a lot of hospitality while I was there, so it was nice to reciprocate that in some way.
“It was a very worthwhile cause.”
Nepal officials have said they need to raise nearly £3.8 billion for the early recovery and rehabilitation of the thousands of people displaced by the flood.
Donations can be made to Nepal’s official Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund.
Featured Image Credit: Annapurna Nepalese Restaurant
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