A NEW group has formed in Monmouth to raise funds and support the cause of Tibet.

The Tibet Support Group Monmouth (TSGM) is encouraging the public to join them in not only supporting the Asian region but learning about and embracing its culture.

It wants to raise awareness of the harshness of the Chinese occupation and, especially, to raise funds to support Tibetans both inside the country and in exile.

Pam Manfield, chair of the new group said: “We welcome new supporters, both in raising funds or to help us by sending letters or emails of protest when China has done something particularly unpleasant.

“Our first big fundraising event will be "An Evening in Tibet" on Saturday 10th March, with a world premiere of a play for voices, performed by the Savoy Youth Theatre. There will be poems and music about Tibet and a dessert buffet with Tibetan specialties.

“It should be a fascinating, and certainly unusual, event and we hope as many people as possible can come along and support us.”

The kind of support the group hopes to provide can be seen in the story of Phurpa, an 11-year-old Tibetan.

Phurpa lives in exile in India. Her parents cannot afford to look after all four of their children, so Phurpa goes to a charity-funded boarding school for most of the year and lives with foster parents in the holidays.

Her parents fled from the Chinese occupation and Phurpa may never have the chance to return to her own country.

Margaret Iggulden, who sponsors Phurpa through the Tibet Relief Fund, one of the charities for which TSGM is raising funds, said: “I remember when I was young hearing the news of the Chinese invasion and Tibetans fleeing for their lives after fighting (and failing) to stop their country being taken over.

“Years later when I lived in Oxfordshire, I became involved in a group working to help raise funds for Tibetan relief and decided to sponsor a child.

“I feel it is vital to help groups working to support Tibetans as the Chinese are totally suppressing human rights in Tibet, claiming Tibet is part of China and so justifying taking all its many natural resources.

“Being involved in Tibet Support Group Monmouth is part of ensuring that people do not forget Tibet should be a free country again.”

For more information about Tibet Support Group Monmouth, or to be put on the mailing list, email: [email protected] or telephone 01600 861836.