Last year, Richard Dorman and his daughter Jenni took on the sporting challenge of a lifetime – to cycle across northern India and Bhutan for charity.

Two thousand mountainous miles would have been a tough ask for any cyclist. But Jenni, from Gloucestershire in the UK, also suffers from epilepsy and diabetes, making the task even more challenging.

“The last few days have been really hard,” Richard told a newspaper late last year, as the pair cycled through Bhutan. “Her epilepsy has been playing up, as she is dog tired. The altitude here in the Himalayas is also a factor.”

Richard, what prompted you to organise this amazing trip?

Jenni has epilepsy (and diabetes) – she wanted to show that anything is possible, even with this debilitating condition. It was a very hard trip with her health. But hugely rewarding for her. She now wants to continue cycling round the world. Apparently Hong Kong is the next finishing line!

Where did the route take you?

We cycled from Amritsar, in northern India, to Guwahati in Assam. It was quite a ride! We covered 1,864 miles in total, passing through some very remote states of India, and Bhutan, which was simply amazing. During the trip, we also decided to make a detour to Dr Graham’s Homes in Kalimpong.

Why did you want to visit DGH?

Because Thomas had this link to the Homes. In fact he was a significant benefactor to the school for many years. But how he developed such a strong connection is a mystery to us. We know that he visited the Homes during World War II, when he was serving in Burma with the British Army. In fact we still have his service book, a copy of which I sent to the Principal. And we know he donated funds to the Homes for many years after his visit.

Why did he visit the Homes in the first place?

That’s something else we’d like to find out. Thomas was a very private man and rarely mentioned it to relatives. But it’s a long trek from the Homes to Burma, where he was serving. So, what prompted him to go there? Why was he such a large benefactor to the Homes over so many years? We just don’t know.

Whatever happened, the visit must have had a powerful impact on him?

Absolutely. That’s exactly why we’d like to know more about it. The Principal has said he will check the records from the previous generation, to see if there’s any record of a Thomas Hall – or indeed any possible information, or a missing link. And, of course, if any DGHUK supporters have any more details about him, we’d love to hear from you too.

What were your impressions of the Homes when you visited?

We were very impressed. It’s a high-quality institution which has clearly needed to change with the times. In fact the same day we were there, the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay, was giving a talk at the World Congress in Delhi – he specifically stated that he put his success and good values entirely down to Dr Graham’s Homes, where he had his early education, and not Harvard University. I thought that was very interesting. [For more on this see: “I was moulded by Dr Graham’s Homes”]