00:00Almost five years ago I travelled to Nepal to visit communities, meet families and see
00:05first-hand how the country was rebuilding following the devastating 2015 earthquake.
00:10Buildings, temples, homes and entire villages had been completely demolished.
00:16But it was clear that despite everything the Nepalese faced,
00:19their spirit and their resilience never weakened.
00:22There was a clear sense of care and compassion for each other.
00:26With COVID-19, the world is being pitted against a new challenge,
00:31one that is devastating and destructive in its own right.
00:33And I am heartened to see that once again, the Nepalese spirit is unwavering.
00:39In Afghanistan, I was honoured to serve alongside the Royal Gurkha Rifles.
00:43These soldiers showed me what they believe in. They showed me what their values are.
00:48The Gurkha Welfare Trust and Oxfam are working together to supply PPE,
00:52establish hand-washing facilities and support public education.
00:56They are rallying together in incredibly difficult circumstances
00:59to help communities beat this virus and to save lives.
01:04I want to thank you for signing up for this year's Trail Walker Relay.
01:08Thank you for stepping up for the Gurkhas, for Nepal and for all the communities impacted by this pandemic.
01:16Doing this relay virtually is going to make it even more difficult than it already was.
01:21So you're going to need to dig deep, physically and emotionally,
01:24to get you and your team across those 100 kilometres.
01:28I know that you can do it, and with every step you take,
01:32just remember that you're helping those who need it most.
01:35So, thank you and good luck.
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