Press Release

HULL FREEDOM TRAIL SEND OFF

25 October 2007

On Thursday 25th October at 6.30pm, the Lord Mayor of Hull and the Mayor of Freetown  escorted the Hull Freedom Trail convoy from Victoria Square to the Ferry where they began their 4,500-mile journey to Freetown, Sierra Leone

Rotary District 1270 is one of the main sponsors of this unique humanitarian project and three Rotarian volunteers – Bas Blackbourn BEM, Dr Isobel Fleming and Chrissy Moog will be in the convoy.  The support vehicle is also being driven by newly recruited Rotarian – Steve Tong.

Lead driver, Rtn Bas Blackbourn BEM, a member of the Rotary Club of Lincoln says “I am delighted and honoured that I shall be representing Rotary 1270 on this expedition.”

The 5 vehicles are being driven along the old slave routes from Hull to Sierra Leone where they will be left for aid agencies – The St George Foundation, HANCI (Help a Needy Child International), Amnet and PRIMED.  They will be a gift of life to the children of the war torn country who have been taken into slavery as boy soldiers or sex slaves. The vehicles will be used to repatriate these children with their families. They will be well received by both agencies that have precious few resources to keep their ageing fleet of vehicles road worthy.

District 1270 PRO, Freya Cross states “As Hull, the home of William Wilberforce, is in Rotary District 1270 and Rotary is the largest international ‘hands on’ service organisation dedicated to humanitarian service it is entirely appropriate that we support the Hull Freedom Trail”
 
Each vehicle team will include a young Trail Blazer.  These young adults all come from what can only be described as less fortunate circumstances and who are about to learn that there are others who are much more less fortunate.

Rotary District 1270 has been actively involved in the project for just over a year and the Rotary contribution has been far more than just finding sponsorship funding.  Through Rotary involvement Shelterbox has provided Shelterboxes and equipment to the value of £4,000 which will be used by the trailblazers as essential survival kit for the duration of the journey.  It will then be handed over to the aid agencies.  The vehicles will also carry Lifestraws and Freeplay Radios.

An unusual addition is over 600 bras that were collected at the Annual Conference in September.  These essential items of clothing are in short supply and very expensive.