Business supporting charity’s Amazon medical mission

An Angus business is helping a charity’s efforts to deliver vital medical aid to patients on the Peruvian Amazon.

Laurencekirk-based Blaze Manufacturing will support the Vine Trust’s MV Forth Hope, the charity’s first purpose-built medical vessel on its journey to South America.

The ship, outfitted at the Rosyth shipyard and the culmination of the generous support of 30 companies, was launched in May by HRH The Princess Royal.

Fully-equipped with worldclass healthcare facilities including a dental surgery, operating theatre, pharmacy and consultation rooms, the MV Forth Hope will ensure volunteers and patients have access to vital medical services and will have the capacity to deliver over 100,000 consultations a year.

Family-run Blaze supported the build by designing and supplying the fire safety equipment for the medical vessel including the fire alarm system, fire extinguishers and safety signage.

Blaze finance director and co-owner Ann Johnson said: “When we were asked to participate in this project, we jumped at the chance. We have been huge supporters of the Vine Trust over the past few years and we were delighted to be given the opportunity to be involved in the design, planning and execution of the Forth Hope project along with Babcock Rosyth and some of our supplier partners.”

The ship set sale on the 26 July and is currently on the final leg of a 6,600-mile transatlantic voyage to its destination the isolated Amazonian city of Iquitos, where it will provide a primary care service to the local population. The ship is scheduled to complete its mammoth journey later this week.