Lord Blunkett (David Blunkett) is one of the United Kingdom’s most respected public servants and a leading advocate for education, social justice and disability inclusion. Blind since birth, he served in the Cabinet under Prime Minister Tony Blair as Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1997–2001) and Home Secretary (2001–2004), helping to shape major reforms in education, skills and public services.
A member of the House of Lords, he continues to contribute to policy debates on education, social care and disability rights, and remains an influential voice on inclusion and social mobility.
Lord Blunkett has actively supported Dolma Foundation’s work in Nepal, mentoring blind and visually impaired students and offering practical guidance and encouragement drawn from his own experience. As Patron of Dolma Foundation, he brings exceptional public leadership and a deeply personal commitment to expanding opportunity for those most often excluded.
Tim is a long-standing advocate for education, social inclusion and sustainable development in under-served communities. In addition to his work in Nepal through Dolma Foundation, he supports multiple charities in the UK through his role as a Deputy Lieutenant of Essex and serves as a Patron of The Music Man Project, a music and performance education charity for people with learning disabilities.
He is an expert in public and private sector governance, serving as a Director of the NASDAQ-listed AI company Fusemachines and on several other boards. Tim previously served as Deputy Lead Governor of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust. He is also the founder and CEO of Dolma Impact Fund, investing in sustainable energy, healthcare and job creation in Nepal and other developing countries. Across these roles he has raised over £100m for impact funds and charities and is a regular speaker at high-level forums including the G20, ADB Annual Meeting and the Lord Mayor’s Ethical AI Initiative.
In academia, Tim is Honorary Professor of Sustainable Business at the University of Nottingham and a Guest Lecturer at London Business School. He was awarded the OBE in 2022.
David Stanley BEM is a disability rights campaigner, musical director, teacher, composer and concert producer. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, King’s College London, the Royal Academy of Music and the Institute of Education.
David was awarded the Medal of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s 2021 New Year Honours List for services to people with Special Needs and he received the UK Prime Minister’s Point of Light Award at the Royal Albert Hall in 2024 for services to others. David was bestowed the Honour of Freeman of the City of Southend-on-Sea in 2023.
David has done multiple shows internationally and across UK. In 2019 David launched The Music Man Project in Nepal in partnership with the Dolma Foundation. After just 6 hours of teaching, children from the Navjoti Special School in Kathmandu performed their first ever Music Man Project concert in front of 300 people, including the British Ambassador to Nepal, the late Richard Morris.
David joined the board of Dolma Foundation in the year 2022 and has been a constant support and advisor in the existing framework of the Foundation and with the future plannings.
Volunteered and worked for 30 years within the charity sector.
Ashley spent 15 years working with The Salvation Army his final position was developing volunteering opportunities at The Hadleigh farm.
He has been a Director/Trustee and Company Secretary of the Dolma Foundation since 2007 and has travelled to both Nepal and Ethiopia to oversee projects.
He has been involved in the UK Scout Association for some 25 years, holding posts including District Secretary of the Southend Estuary District and former Chairman of 4th Thorpe Bay Scouts Group. Volunteered for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (Southend branch) supporting particularly around gift aid and volunteer recruitment and retention (MNDA).
More recently he is working with Southend City Councils (SCC) museums department developing volunteering opportunities.
Short term contracts for the office of national statistics. (ONS)
He is also a Cycle Instructor for last 8 years now.
Daniel has been involved with Dolma Foundation from a young age, beginning with emergency aid distribution in the aftermath of Nepal’s devastating 2015 earthquake. He has volunteered in Nepali hospitals and pathology laboratories, gaining first-hand experience of healthcare challenges in low-income settings. His exposure to these environments has shaped his ambition to pursue a career in medicine focused on improving access to healthcare and reducing global health inequalities.
He mentors young students in Nepal, including those with disabilities, reflecting his belief in equal opportunity and inclusion. Beyond his academic and charitable commitments, Daniel is a keen long-distance runner and an accomplished pianist, holding an ARSM diploma and several national and international competition titles.
Now serving as a Trustee of Dolma Foundation, Daniel brings energy, empathy, and the perspective of a new generation committed to sustainable development in Nepal.
