TRUST CONVOY ’07: Delivers €760,000 worth of humanitarian aid to Belarus and Russia
Having just delivered €760,000 worth of humanitarian aid to Belarus and Russia, Chernobyl Children’s’ Trust is now more convinced than ever of the overwhelming need for this vital life-line of support to disadvantaged communities in those areas! Community organisations are desperately in need of assistance to support their local communities and without outside support they simply cannot effectively provide the services that are needed. This message was consistently and indisputably obvious in the many different areas visited during the recent aid deliveries.
It is the firm intent
ion of Chernobyl Children’s’ Trust, to increase its level of support for community-based organisations and families particularly in rural disadvantaged areas, through increased humanitarian aid coupled with a more long-term strategy for local development.
We wish to take this opportunity, on behalf of the ‘Trust’ and all of the recipients of aid and ambulances, to most sincerely thank all those individuals, organisations and companies that made our very first convoy happen and a special thank you to those of you who gave your time to drive across Europe to deliver the aid and ambulances!
A phenomenal amount of work was done by a determined group of people to achieve what was a very successful convoy and another milestone in the short history of the Chernobyl Children’s’ Trust.
It has to be noted from the outset that without the extraordinary help and generosity of Fran Noone, the convoy would not and could not have happened! From collecting aid from various locations by truck and for storing it, to making a superb warehouse facility available, not to mention all of the other facilities that were put at our disposal and all free of charge – trucks, fork-lifts, personnel, equipment, supplies, funds, and even accommodation – we cannot thank Fran enough! Of course it has to be said that there were a number of other key people involved in the collection and transport of aid and for this we are very grateful indeed! The ‘Trust’ is very fortunate to have such remarkable people available at the ‘drop of a hat’ to collect and transport aid from all around the country and all through the year.
There are huge logistical factors involved in bringing a convoy across Europe including coordination of all vehicles in a safe manner, communication via 2way and CB radios, daily route planning, rest stops, coordination of fuelling and parking of vehicles at rest and overnight stops, repairs as necessary to vehicles and/or radios at each stop, daily communication with Belarus to ensure arrangements for border & local clearances, accommodation, interpreters, recipients and many other items are in place in advance of the arrival of convoy. Of course there is much phone work also re ferry bookings and a myriad other items to ensure all arrangements are in place, phone contact must be maintained also with other convoy personnel in the absence of radio contact and generally most of this is the ‘invisible’ work that is constantly going on in the background to ensure a smooth operation.
This is all the more remarkable when you consider that it’s all done on a voluntary basis and without the luxury of a back up team or professional office staff. When things go wrong, as they will from time to time, they have to be fixed on the hoof. One volunteer’s sad circumstances provided one such incident. Having received a phone call between Wales and Reading re his mother’s impending death and after discussing it with him, arrangements had to made to get him home ASAP. He was home that night and his mother passed away a couple of days later RIP.
The convoy continued for the rest of the week through England, the Hook of Holland, Germany and on to the Polish Border where the usual delays were experienced. After entering Poland it was on to the basket shed and an early exit next morning to hit Warsaw and eventually arrived at the Lotus truck stop 28 clicks from the Belarusian Border. We arrived to the Belarusian side in the early afternoon of what turned out to be a very long day!
An entire news section could be assigned to the comings and goings at the Belarusian customs alone. Suffice it to say that it is always extremely complicated, frustrating and tiring but with the incomparable Natasha on our side, we got through it and did what we set out to do. Delivering the aid and meeting those who need it most is what makes it all worthwhile and sets us on the path to do what we believe we should be doing, changing lives. . . . one by one!
Sunday World
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