A pound per mile – from Inveraray to the Gambia
WE TAKE for granted in Scotland that trained emergency paramedics will come to our aid should the need ever arise.
Things, however, are very different in the west African country of the Gambia. Anyone involved in a road accident, for example, might be transported by ambulance for treatment. But transport is all that will be offered – as the crew is unlikely to be trained to administer medical assistance.
With a group of fellow enthusiasts, Argyll woman Fiona Nelson has decided to help – by purchasing an emergency vehicle and driv- ing it all the way to the Gambia from Inveraray.
Fiona explained: ‘I and a merry gang of approximately 10 people are driving 4,000 miles from Inveraray to Serrekunda Fire Station in the Gambia.
‘To cut a long story short, there are too many crashes and fatalities on the roads in Gambia, and the Gambian fire and rescue service does not have an appropriate road rescue vehicle.
‘We are planning on buying a fire and road rescue unit, fully kitted with emergency trauma kit.’
Fiona and the team will drive five vehicles on the journey, which is due to set off at the end of next year. The project itself has been dubbed the ‘Challenge 4,000’.
The aim is to set off on December 16, 2019, and sail from Portsmouth the following day before arriving in the Gambia around January 3, 2020.
The route will take the team through Scotland, England, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and the Gambia.
Fiona continued: ‘We will also deliver training for the ongoing success of the road rescue unit.’
As well as the road rescue vehicle, there will be a large passenger-carrying van, which will be used as a ‘gilli gilli’ (local transport) in the Foni and Jarrol area.
‘The other vehicles have not been decided yet, but one will be a Robin Rialto, and though it does not have any use as a rescue vehicle, is in the team to create some good PR and, hopefully, a few smiles along the way,’ Fiona added.
The big focus at the moment is on raising money to purchase the vehicles and fund the trip.
The Challenge 4,000 fundraiser is encouraging people to do a sponsored walk, swim, jog, cycle to collectively reach the 4,000-mile mark.
‘If we can raise one pound for every mile, we can buy the vehicle,’ Fiona explained.
‘We will also be looking for sponsors for each vehicle to get them there, but we are hoping to raise some company sponsorship for this area. But for now let’s get the rescue unit bought.’
If you want to challenge yourself with a Challenge 4,000 fundraiser, contact the team via the challenge4000.co.uk website by August 31, 2018.
You will be sent sponsor forms and details.
And – hot off the press – Challenge 4,000 has hust announced its first sponsors: Inveraray Jail, Kintyre Gin and the George Hotel Inverarary.