Hilary Pearce, Ghurka Welfare Trust, receiving the Award from HRH The Princess Royal, with Master Engineer Andrew McNaughton, at the Engineers Trust Awards Dinner on 9 June 2026

2026 Grant (£5000) – Gurkha Welfare Trust

The Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT) provides financial, medical and development aid to Gurkha veterans, their families and communities.

The Engineers Trust awarded the 2026 Engineering Impact Grant of £5000 to The Gurkha Welfare Trust for an engineering project that will deliver a year-round supply of clean water to 42 households in the Reletole village, Nepal, with a population of 195 at an altitude of 1107–1210 meters above sea level. The Reletole scheme will provide a pumped water supply, as both spring sources are located below the settlement. The intake will be protected from the seasonal river with a stone masonry flood barrier, and perimeter fencing will stop wildlife and cattle accessing the spring water. Flows from both springs will be combined in the collection chamber and delivery tank for pumping.

A 4 HP, 3-phase electric submersible pump will lift water to the Reservoir Tank for distribution to metered taps. The application for the project was initiated by a community member with a disability who struggled to reach the distant, unsafe sources; the community came together to support her application to the GWT, demonstrating collective solidarity. With water at the doorstep, women reclaim time for paid work and caregiving, and girls attend school more consistently.

Accessible household supply ensures people with disabilities are not excluded from essential services, strengthening participation, dignity and equitable opportunity across the community. The Engineering Impact grant will be a significant part of the remaining cost needed to deliver the project (estimated total project cost is £41,552.13). Construction is anticipated to begin in late November or early December 2026, once post-monsoon conditions allow heavy vehicles to transport materials safely. Procurement, construction and pipe-laying are expected to take 8 months, with completion targeted for July 2027, subject to weather conditions.

The Engineers Trust grant forms a significant part of the total cost of the project.

A charitable grant launched in 2021 for a specific project or programme of work that uses engineering in the relief of poverty where the timeline and measurable outcomes are clearly defined. Applicant organisations are restricted to UK registered Charities but the delivery can be world-wide.

The Worshipful Company of Engineers Charitable Trust (the Engineers Trust) promotes the contributions of engineers to benefit society, education and research, and the relief of hardship and poverty.

Award photo courtesy of Mark Witter Photography