Ambulance Drive Route and Update

25 June 2010	Finish line - Mill Rythe Junior School, Hayling Island. A rapturous welcome from the pupils as the ambulance crosses the finish line after travelling over 1400 miles throughout England, Wales and Scotland and back to Hayling Island. There were many adventures along the way. A big thank you to everyone who helped. Special thanks to Andrea Ward (the event organiser) and to Helen O'Grady Drama Academy who sponsored the petrol and organised the event and to all its Principals and drama pupils (we loved seeing the students all dressed up!), Southern Ambulance Preservation Society who loaned the ambulances, Cartridge World who sponsored the event and came with its "Stig" and eco racing car to the launch, Liz Collyer the volunteer driver, Queen's Inclosure Primary School in Waterlooville for the launch, Mill Rythe Junior School in Hayling Island for the finish line and of course Oscar the Dog! A massive thank you to everyone at all the other "emergency stops" (Personal Overseas Development, Thare Machi, Fettes College and many other schools). Thanks to everyone who helped in other ways, including providing food, accommodation and even doing our washing! Thank you to everyone who donated. Thank you for making this first fundraising event such a huge success. The appeal will stay open until we reach the target. We are well on the way! On behalf of the villagers of Yamba and Milingano- ASANTENI SANA (Thank you very much).

June 2010	The ambulance visited the following Helen O'Grady Drama Academy branches and Village Africa contacts: Portsmouth Bournemouth Exeter Cardiff/Monmouthshire/Swansea Cheltenham (PoD - who sends volunteers to Village Africa) Leamington Spa (Thare Machi who give health DVDs to Village Africa) Gloucestershire/Wiltshire/Hounslow West Midlands Manchester Stockport/East Cheshire Liverpool Tayforth/Dundee Edinburgh (Fettes College who sent an expedition group to Village Africa in 2009) Sheffield Croydon South East London Bromley and District Guildford Portsmouth View Larger Map

25 June 2010	Langstone Harbour - Final breather before drive to finish line at Hayling Island.

24 June 2010	Lord Mayor of Portsmouth

24 June 2010	Ravenscote Community Junior School, Frimley.

23 June 2010	Helen O'Grady Drama Academy - Bromley and District Branch - (Venue: Shortlands)

22 June 2010	Helen O'Grady Drama Academy - Croydon Branch (Venue: Crayford)

22 June 2010	Helen O'Grady Drama Academy Croyden Branch - (Venue: Purley)

22 June 2010	Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, East Finchley.

21 June 2010	Stockport/East Cheshire Helen O'Grady Drama Academy. Thanks to Chemquip Fluid Engineering for allowing us to use their carpark.

21 June 2010	Pott Shrigley Church School, Macclesfield.

21 June 2010	Bollington Cross C of E Primary School Macclesfield.

21 June 2010	Sheffield - Ecclesall C of E Junior School

20 June 2010	Long drive from Edinburgh to Sheffield. Thanks to Liz for providing accommodation at The Fox House, Inn Keepers Lodge.

19 June 2010	Tayforth - Dundee Branch of Helen O'Grady Drama Academy - (Venue: Loch Leven Community Campus)

19 June 2010	Edinburgh - Fettes College

18 June 2010	Journey to Scotland began. Broke down. Towed off motorway. Spent 15 hours at the garage scouring the UK without luck for a Lucas distributor for the ambulance. Backup ambulance sent by Southern Ambulance Preservation Society. Andrea and Steve drove from Portsmouth in the evening to Manchester. Andrea, Liz and Caroline continued throughout the night to reach Edinburgh by 10.30am.

17 June 2010	Liverpool Branch - Helen O'Grady Drama Academy - (Venue: Elm Hall Drive Methodist Church)

16 June 2010	Manchester Branch - Helen O'Grady Drama Academy - (Venue: Gately United Reformed Church)

15 June 2010	West Midlands Helen O'Grady Drama Academy - (Venue: Halesowen)

15 June 2010	Royal Leamington Spa - Thare Machi (one of Village Africa's partners) welcomes the ambulance. Thare Machi provides health DVDs to Village Africa and Village Africa gives Kiswahili translations to Thare Machi. The introduction was made by Tina Freeman, who has twice volunteered in Yamba and is the "knitting queen".

14 June 2010	PoD (Personal Overseas Development) - in Cheltenham - Fundraising party.

14 June 2010	Gloucester/Wiltshire/Hounslow Helen O'Grady Drama Academy (Venue - Briscombe Primary School, Nr Stroud)

14 June 2010	Cardiff/Monmouthshire/Swansea Helen O'Grady Drama Academy meets Welsh National Assembly. Ambulance welcomed by Chris Franks, Assembly member.

14 June 2010	Wales - St Andrews Major Church in Wales Primary School

13 June 2010	Exeter Branch - Helen O'Grady Drama Academy (Venue - Broadclyst Primary School)

12 June 2010	Bournemouth - Many thanks to Jackie, Howie, Emma and Matthew for meals and overnight accommodation.

12 June 2010	Dorset Branch - Helen O'Grady Drama Academy (Venue Poole).

11 June 2010	Portsmouth Branch - Helen O'Grady Drama Academy (Venue: Cowplain)

11 June 2010	AMBULANCE DRIVE LAUNCH - Queen's Inclosure Primary School, Waterlooville.

11 June 2010	Pre launch at Mill Rythe Junior School (Hayling Island).

11 June 2010	Street Collection in Waterlooville.

11 June 2010	Preparations for the launch.

June 2010	Quay Radio 107.4FM interviews Caroline and Andrea about the Ambulance Drive. "On air" throughout the morning on launch day, Friday 11th June.

May 2010	Liz Collyer is chosen as the driver for the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy Ambulance Drive in aid of Village Africa's Ambulance Appeal. Liz is the mother of long-standing drama pupil David Collyer. Liz test drives the ambulance ready for the big day!

May 2010	Cartridge World in Waterlooville donates photocopying. This will ensure the ambulance drive is launched in style.

May 2010	Footballer Alan Knight MBE will be supporting the ambulance drive. He'll be visiting Mill Rythe Junior School to sign autographs and Queen's Inclosure Primary School to take part in the launch. Knight spent nearly all of his 25 year playing career at Portsmouth and is known by the Fratton Park faithful as "The Legend". He holds the record for the most appearances for a single club by the goalkeeper (801 games).

May 2010	Dave Jenkins has kindly donated a banner for the sponsored ambulance drive. Thank you!

May 2010	Cartridge World becomes a corporate sponsor of the ambulance drive. The Waterlooville franchise owner will bring Cartridge World's award winning racing car and "Stig" on the day of the ambulance launch (11 June). http://cartridgeworldcarbonzeroracing.co.uk/Drive-&-Arrive.html The racing car and "Stig" will help with the street collection in Waterlooville precinct (morning), visit Mill Rythe Junior School and then drive to Queen's Inclosure Primary School for the official launch.

May 2010	Thanks to Calvin of Volksignia for doing the vehicle graphics for the ambulance drive. Volksignia is based in Southampton. http://www.volksignia.co.uk/

May 2010	The Southern Ambulance Preservation Society has kindly loaned an ambulance free of charge for the ambulance drive. See http://www.southambpres.org.uk/membVehicles.asp It is the Leyland DAF. Caroline Johnston (Director, Village Africa) and Jon McGuigan (Publicity and Events Officer, Southern Ambulance Preservation Society) Andrea Ward (Principal, Helen O'Grady Drama Academy, Portsmouth and Guildford Branches) and Jon McGuigan (Publicity and Events Officer, Southern Ambulance Preservation Society)

May 2010	We are delighted to announce that the launch of the ambulance drive will be at Queen's Inclosure Primary School, Waterlooville, Hampshire. The school has chosen Village Africa as its charity and has a Helen O'Grady Drama Club. The finish of the ambulance drive will be at Mill Rythe Junior School, Hayling Island, Hampshire. The school has recently started a Helen O'Grady Drama Club. It has kindly agreed to be the finish line after the ambulance's long journey around the UK.