Wiltshire’s Nepalese community fought through the full range of British weather on Saturday to stage a hard-fought sports day, with local teams joined by others from across the south of England.

Through sweltering heat and flash thunderstorms, The Nepalese Association of Wiltshire’s [NAW] 10th annual event saw hundreds gathered in Buckhurst Park, to take part in football and volleyball tournaments, socialise and sample Nepalese cuisine.

“This is an event that happens every year in the NAW, because we have about seven or eight hundred households here,” explained Maita Limbu, President of the Nepalese Association of Wiltshire.

“The main aim is a very big get-together for all the teams in Swindon, and those around, for a big Mela.

“It is very important because it is not only the Swindon Nepalese people, we get people from all over the UK. We get to meet with other Nepalese communities from all over the country.”

With 19 volleyball and nine football teams involved, and families along to cheer them on, the day ran impressively smoothly – despite the best attempts of the weather to hamper proceedings.

“We’re having all seasons in a day today,” added Maita.

“Of course, the committee has worked very, very hard to organise this. It requires a lot of logistical support from all the members of the organisation.”

As well as the sports day, the NAW also organise other events for the Nepalese community, including Dashain, equivalent to Christmas but in September, and a Nepalese New Year and cultural day in April.

The tables straining under the weight of trophies were matched only by those struggling to hold the food, with Mayor of Swindon Cllr Maureen Penny among those being treated to a plate of chicken, pulses and doughnut-like Nepalese bread.

“What an amazing day, the tenth year of being here,” she said.

“Though it’s a shame about the English weather. We have blue skies, rain and I think in the corner we have snow.”

The NAW’s PR liaison officer, JB Gurung, explained what he saw as the purpose of the day: “The main aim of this 10th annual sports day is to show the local community that the Nepalese community is already here.”

It was a line echoed by Suresh Gurung, who serves in the army and was playing for one of the veteran football teams. He highlighted the importance of Nepalese and local communities mixing.

“In the summer we quite often have events like this on,” he said. “We have a few of them in different places – we tend to do more in the London area.

“It is good, but I think if we can integrate more with the local population as well, that is the way forward.”