Meet Our Experienced Team
Councillor Janet Gardner
TRUSTEE / COUNCILLOR
She serves as the Borough’s Domestic Violence Victims Advocate and is an active member of the Hillingdon Domestic Abuse Steering Executive, shaping vital support systems and policies for survivors. Janet represents Hayes Town alongside Councillors Peter Curling and Raju Sansarpuri, contributing significantly to council governance through her roles on the Licensing and Residents’ Services Select Committees.
Committed to grassroots engagement, Janet has driven local initiatives like the 'Sound of Hayes' underpass and the refurbishment of Blyth Road car park. Known for her dedicated constituent support, including daily updates during COVID-19, Janet continues to ensure The Gurkha Centre's strategic alignment with community needs, amplifying its positive impact through her extensive experience and unwavering dedication.
Tim Riley
TRUSTEE / PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPIST
Now serving strategically as a Trustee, Tim emphasizes partnership-building and sustainable community engagement. He has spearheaded multilingual resource initiatives, co-produced educational materials with Nepalese community leaders, and organized multi-agency events to improve healthcare access for veterans. His leadership has garnered national recognition, including a 2024 “Equality of Access” award and a 2017 Health Service Journal commendation.
With extensive expertise in clinical excellence, quality assurance, and governance—including roles as Specialist Advisor to Care Quality Commission inspection teams—Tim brings robust clinical insight to governance discussions. His combined clinical and strategic leadership continues to significantly enhance the mission and impact of The Gurkha Centre.
Anne-Marie Owusu-Afriyie
Trustee / Social Worker and Specialist CAMHS Practitioner
Currently working at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, she also conducts Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) assessments. Anne-Marie has held roles at various councils, focusing on hospital discharge, mental health, and adult services.
As a Trustee for The Gurkha Centre, she applies her expertise in safeguarding and community health to support Gurkha veterans and their families. Her work is centred around promoting dignity, equity, and human rights.
Binod Baral
TRUSTEE / CHEF
His humanitarian initiatives include hosting impactful fundraisers, cooking for disadvantaged children, and organising special events for Gurkha veterans and their families, reflecting his belief that food is a powerful catalyst for community building and social change. Binod's unique "borderless cooking" approach embodies his philosophy of "winning people's hearts through food," fostering cultural understanding, unity, and compassion.
His continuous dedication helps The Gurkha Centre elevate its mission, ensuring that vulnerable communities receive essential support and recognition globally.
Chandni Patel
TRUSTEE / PROJECT MANAGER
Hari Bhandari
Founder & CEO
As Founder and CEO of The Gurkha Centre, Hari provides strategic leadership, coordinating staff, volunteers, and partners to ensure equitable access to health, welfare, and social care services. A multilingual communicator fluent in English, Nepali, Pashto, Dari, Urdu, and Hindi, he brings unique cultural insight shaped by frontline roles in Afghanistan and UN operations in Kabul.
Hari works tirelessly to address systemic gaps, building a compassionate team and supervising trainee social workers, BSc Global Health students from Imperial College London, and college students from Uxbridge, Richmond, and Harrow. He continues to advocate for justice, dignity, and empowerment across the communities he serves.
Sumita Rai
Co-Founder / Health and Well-Being Officer
Sanjila Joshi
Welfare Officer
Since joining The Gurkha Centre in 2024, Sanjila has become a trusted advocate within the community, responding thoughtfully and empathetically to diverse needs. Her commitment aligns deeply with the Centre’s mission of honouring and preserving the legacy of Gurkha service. Through her dedicated efforts, Sanjila plays a key role in strengthening the wellbeing and resilience of those she supports.
Sanjila is proud to be part of a team that prioritises integrity, respect, and meaningful impact, continuously striving to uplift and empower the Gurkha community.
Councillor Janet Gardner: Trustee
Councillor Janet Gardner serves as a trustee at The Gurkha Centre, bringing over three decades of public service and community leadership. As a Labour councillor for Hayes in the London Borough of Hillingdon since 1994, Janet passionately advocates for social justice, inclusion, and support for vulnerable residents.
She serves as the Borough’s Domestic Violence Victims Advocate and is an active member of the Hillingdon Domestic Abuse Steering Executive, shaping vital support systems and policies for survivors. Janet represents Hayes Town alongside Councillors Peter Curling and Raju Sansarpuri, contributing significantly to council governance through her roles on the Licensing and Residents’ Services Select Committees.
Committed to grassroots engagement, Janet has driven local initiatives like the ‘Sound of Hayes’ underpass and the refurbishment of Blyth Road car park. Known for her dedicated constituent support, including daily updates during COVID-19, Janet continues to ensure The Gurkha Centre’s strategic alignment with community needs, amplifying its positive impact through her extensive experience and unwavering dedication
Tim Riley: Trustee
Tim Riley is a dedicated Mental Health Nurse and Psychological Therapist with extensive leadership experience, notably within the NHS OpCOURAGE Veterans Mental Health Service. Since 2021, Tim has actively worked to remove healthcare barriers for Gurkha veterans and the Nepalese community, fundraising through various running challenges inspired by The Gurkha Centre’s impactful work.
Now serving strategically as a Trustee, Tim emphasizes partnership-building and sustainable community engagement. He has spearheaded multilingual resource initiatives, co-produced educational materials with Nepalese community leaders, and organized multi-agency events to improve healthcare access for veterans. His leadership has garnered national recognition, including a 2024 “Equality of Access” award and a 2017 Health Service Journal commendation.
With extensive expertise in clinical excellence, quality assurance, and governance—including roles as Specialist Advisor to Care Quality Commission inspection teams—Tim brings robust clinical insight to governance discussions. His combined clinical and strategic leadership continues to significantly enhance the mission and impact of The Gurkha Centre.
Anne-Marie Owusu-Afriyie: Trustee
Anne-Marie Owusu-Afriyie is a dedicated Social Worker , Sexual Health Practitioner and Specialist CAMHS Practitioner with extensive experience in health and social care. Passionate about safeguarding, disability rights, gender equality, and sexual health, she is committed to advocating for vulnerable communities.
Currently working at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, she also conducts Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) assessments. Anne-Marie has held roles at various councils, focusing on hospital discharge, mental health, and adult services.
As a Trustee for The Gurkha Centre, she applies her expertise in safeguarding and community health to support Gurkha veterans and their families. Her work is centred around promoting dignity, equity, and human rights.
Binod Baral: Trustee
Binod Baral is a distinguished Nepali-British chef, entrepreneur, and dedicated humanitarian known for his innovative culinary expertise and profound commitment to social change. As the Goodwill Ambassador and now Trustee for The Gurkha Centre, Binod has been pivotal in guiding the charity toward sustainable growth through strategic partnerships with local businesses.
Beyond his acclaimed mastery in modern culinary arts, Binod passionately advocates for youth and women’s empowerment, education, and responsible tourism. His humanitarian initiatives include hosting impactful fundraisers, cooking for disadvantaged children, and organising special events for Gurkha veterans and their families, reflecting his belief that food is a powerful catalyst for community building and social change.
Binod’s unique “borderless cooking” approach embodies his philosophy of “winning people’s hearts through food,” fostering cultural understanding, unity, and compassion. His continuous dedication helps The Gurkha Centre elevate its mission, ensuring that vulnerable communities receive essential support and recognition globally.
Chandni Patel: Chair of Trustees
Chandni Patel, Trustee at The Gurkha Centre, transitioned from volunteering to leading online English classes for the Gurkha Nepalese community. With a background in education and project management, she is also a mental health blogger and content writer, driven by the ambition to help the Gurkha Centre reach its full potential.
Hari Bhandari: Founder & CEO
Hari Bhandari is an experienced Social Worker and British Gurkha veteran committed to the welfare of Gurkha veterans, their spouses, widows, and marginalised communities. Holding an MA in Social Work from Brunel University London, he is registered with Social Work England and has extensive experience in hospital discharge, community assessments, mental capacity evaluations, and safeguarding.
As Founder and CEO of The Gurkha Centre, Hari provides strategic leadership, coordinating staff, volunteers, and partners to ensure equitable access to health, welfare, and social care services. A multilingual communicator fluent in English, Nepali, Pashto, Dari, Urdu, and Hindi, he brings unique cultural insight shaped by frontline roles in Afghanistan and UN operations in Kabul.
Hari works tirelessly to address systemic gaps, building a compassionate team and supervising trainee social workers, BSc Global Health students from Imperial College London, and college students from Uxbridge, Richmond, and Harrow. He continues to advocate for justice, dignity, and empowerment across the communities he serves.
Sumita Rai: Health & Well-being Officer
Sanjila Joshi: Welfare Officer
As a Welfare Officer at The Gurkha Centre, Sanjila Joshi provides compassionate and personalised support to Gurkha veterans and their families. With over eight years of experience in the non-profit sector, Sanjila brings deep insight and genuine passion to her role, ensuring that each individual feels heard, respected, and valued.
Since joining The Gurkha Centre in 2024, Sanjila has become a trusted advocate within the community, responding thoughtfully and empathetically to diverse needs. Her commitment aligns deeply with the Centre’s mission of honouring and preserving the legacy of Gurkha service. Through her dedicated efforts, Sanjila plays a key role in strengthening the wellbeing and resilience of those she supports.
Sanjila is proud to be part of a team that prioritises integrity, respect, and meaningful impact, continuously striving to uplift and empower the Gurkha community.
