A CONCERT will raise funds for one of the most famous units in the British Army.

The Pipers of the 1st Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles will perform in aid of the Gurkha Welfare Trust after returning from active duties.

They will be joined by the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas for the two-and-a half-hour event to raise money to provide welfare, healthcare and pensions for old soldiers and their widows in Nepal.

The evening’s entertainment, at the Dolphin Centre, Darlington, at 7.30pm next Wednesday, is expected to draw crowds from all over the region.

It will also feature the Gurkha Kukri Dance, performed by recruits who are learning to play instruments.

The Yorkshire chairman of the Gurkha Welfare Trust, Lieutenant Colonel Keith Ryding, said: “There is a tendency to think that all Gurkha problems were solved when they were awarded the right to settle in Britain but, for the trust’s 8,500 welfare pensioners, Nepal will remain their home and they will rely on the trust for the remainder of their days.

“In a country where there is no welfare system and no NHS, we must continue to provide enough money to permit these old soldiers to live out their lives with dignity.”

The concert will be sponsored by Vauxhall and Chevrolet motor dealer Sherwoods. Tickets are £6 to £12, on 01325-388406.