Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Race to clear landmines across world
AS Prince Harry retraced his mother’s steps to highlight the plight of landmine victims across the world this week, a Gloucestershire businessman was flying in the opposite direction to do exactly the same.
Adam Ainsworth is the CEO of SafeLane Global, which clears landmines from former warzones and works closely with communities blighted by the hidden bombs which maim and take innocent civilians.
And this weekend the 44-year-old has flown in from Mozambique to raise funds for an education programme which will help victims and teach children how to avoid stepping on the explosive devices littering their country.
What’s more, at the same time as he is running the Forest of Dean Half Marathon, well over 100 of those involved in the company’s landmine clearance programmes across the world will be joining him to raise awareness of the cause.
News of the SafeLane Global Gallop emerged as Prince Harry donned body armour to honour his mother Princess Diana, who visited Huambo in Angola in 1997 to highlight the people whose lives were being destroyed.
“Two decades later, the area has transformed from desolate and unhabitable to lively and vibrant, with colleges, schools and small businesses,” said the Royal Family’s Instagram account before Harry walked through a former artillery base in Dirico.
As the boss of a company that car
I remember it well because we deal with
the UN a lot and I know the man who did that original walk with Princess Diana
ADAM AINSWORTH
ries out the dangerous landmine clearance work the royals were promoting, Adam said: “I remember it well because we deal with the UN a lot and I know the man who did that original walk with Princess Diana. Anything that can be done to raise awareness of what is left behind after these conflicts is a good thing. It’s very dangerous and it is usually women and children who are on the receiving end.
“Clearing explosives takes a long time because we are very, very health and safety conscious and do not take risks.
“We don’t rush into these villages and run out again; we are in communities for extended periods of time and that means we come into contact with the families affected.”
Before joining SafeLane, which has 1,000 employees in 16 countries, Adam served in the British Army for 12 years during which time he saw active service in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo.
Last year he fell ill and was subsequently diagnosed as suffering from Lyme disease. He began training for the Forest of Dean Half Marathon as part of his recovery.
Staff on international projects offered to join him and now half marathons will be run on the same day on three different continents.
Tomorrow Adam and staff from the company’s HQ, which started out in Mitcheldean before moving to Ross-on-Wye, will pound the Forest paths with colleagues in Germany as the European leg. Scores of runners will be joining them in Somalia, Sudan and the Falkland Islands.
They have already exceeded their £10,000 target on their gofundme page and Prince Harry’s intervention could give them an extra boost. The money will go towards helping families that have been affected and an education programme designed to minimise the risk for children in Afghanistan schools.
Adam, who lives in Lydbrook, is looking forward to welcoming German colleagues to his home patch.
“It’s a gorgeous route and it will be good to show visitors what we take for granted in the Forest,” he said.
“I go running all the time and it’s a beautiful place.”