A CUDDINGTON resident is raising money for a struggling family in Kashmir who looked after him during his visit.

John David Kirby, 56, went to the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent eight years ago and stayed with Kalim Peer and his family.

The father of two lets tourists stay on his house boat as a way of making money but since John’s trip, the conflict between the Indian rulers’ and locals has intensified.

For several years there have been virtually no tourists in the area because it is not safe.

John said: “It was October 2009, I was doing a world trip, my first stop was Dehli in India, there was a travel agent opposite the hotel and they suggested Kashmir.

“I thought that was a great idea, it’s a bit off the beaten track and there aren’t many tourists there because of the conflict.

“My host was Kalim, I got to know him and his family, he lives on a boat and I was with them for about 10 days.

“He learnt English without being taught, he picked it up himself to help with tourists.

“I was treated very well by Kalim and his family. One special memory is when I joined his parents, brothers, sisters and wife for a meal. It was at that time that I realised how poor they were.

“I was getting a delicious plate full of local delicacies where as they only ate the basics. Naturally I wanted to share but they insisted it was only for me.

“They explained that I was the first tourist they’d had for three months and they didn’t know when the next one would be coming.

“It was lovely, I felt very accepted by the family.

“He sent me a message recently saying that there is a curfew now, so there are no tourists at all.

“I gave him a little bit of money at the time and then I didn’t hear from him again recently and I thought I’d like to help him again, but hopefully this time it won’t just be me.

“It’s nice to feel connected with someone so far away who I don’t know very well but I know he is a genuine person.”

To donate and to get more information on Kalim and his family visit John’s Just Giving page https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kalim-in-kashmir.