PUPILS in Fulford have been put through their paces to prepare for their very own march to raise money for military charities.

St Oswald Primary School children are gearing up to perform their march at a fun day this Saturday at the school to raise funds for Gurkha Welfare Trust and Families' Activity Breaks which provides UK holidays for bereaved military families.

The Gurkha Welfare Trust provides financial, medical and overall development to Gurkha soldiers and their loved ones.

Activities will include wall climbing and completing an obstacle course. Local soldiers will also be performing their traditional cookery, dance and hosting a communication course.

The school has already raised nearly £1,400 for the Disasters Emergency Committee’s response to the situation in Nepal.

Soldiers from 246 Gurkha Signals Squadron, based at York's Imphal Barracks, are also working with St Oswald Primary to raise the cultural awareness of the Nepalese community and the local community.

Val Gill, school administrator, said: “Since we have so many military children, we would like to give back to the military community because they’ve given us so much in return.”

The fun day will follow a Service of Prayer for people in Nepal at St Oswald’s Church in Fulford on Saturday at 11am following the earthquakes which hit Nepal on April 25 and May 2.

The Revd Terence McDonough, vicar, said: “There are a lot of Nepalese people in Fulford, with the Gurkha troops stationed at Imphal Barracks and some of their children at St Oswald’s School. Although these earthquakes have struck a country on the other side of the world, they’ve had massive repercussions in our area of York. As a church, we want to stand by the people of Nepal at this time, and support the Nepalese people in our community.

"If you’ve been moved by the aftermath of the earthquakes on the news, please come to the service and pray with us for the people of Nepal.”