Convoy Eve or the journey begins

So this is it Convoy September 2010 to Moldova & Transdnistria, is this day one of the convoy or the convoy eve, I will call it convoy eve as for me convoy doesn’t really start until all ten vehicles get in line on foreign soil (and I am the author of this blog). Up and down the land from the southern end of England, the Midlands, Wales, Yorkshire, the North West, Scotland and over the sea from CWU Ireland volunteers are making their way to the ferry port at Newcastle Upon Tyne, for some this journey started yesterday with ferry crossing and many miles travelled. For others like Ray and myself this journey started today with a hearty full English breakfast at Margaret’s cafe, a trip to the weighbridge to check that our vehicle weights are correct (Me and Ray had to get out of the vehicle for this after Margaret’s substantial breakfast may have put us over the weight limit), up to Preston Mail Centre to fuel our vehicle up and then it’s up the M6 and M1 to the ferry port. In total there are twenty volunteers in ten 7.5 tonne vehicles kindly loaned to CWUHA from Royal Mail and British Telecom, the companies also supply all the fuel for the entire journey as well as taxing and insuring the vehicles for the journey as well. Without this generous act from both companies the CWUHA convoys would be nearly impossible to run.


This is not the start of the journey though the twenty volunteers had to submit business plans early on in 2010 to go on the convoy; the volunteers have to show that they can raise the money and aid to fund their convoy journey. This is no free ride as some people mistakenly think that the journey begins by picking up the vehicle, fully loaded with aid on board and all they have to do is drive the vehicle to destination and back again, far from it. Fund raising and aid collection is an on-going occurrence for regular convoy drivers and a very busy six months for new convoy drivers (otherwise known as convoy virgins). Every spare space is taken up; garages and spare rooms become convoy storage as calls come in with offers of aid that just cannot be refused: in mine and Ray’s case collecting tables and chairs from Knowsley College in Liverpool, a car full of bin bags containing brand new children’s school clothes from Lynne and Debbie in Ingol Preston (nearly 400 items), a car full of cleaning products and toiletries from Ian in Manchester (over 200Kgs), from my niece Michelle and Mark from Proctor and Gamble in Skelmersdale (nearly 900 items) with a pallet full of toothbrushes & toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner, sanitary towels & panty liners and over 150 tubes of Pringles (it’s going to be difficult keeping them from the other convoy drivers but we have Colin to guard them, you will meet Colin later), a journey to Crewe to pick up some vouchers (we bought bedding and Pillows as well as a guitar amp with these) and educational equipment from Ron, deliveries to Preston from Tommy from Unite with five generous boxes of pens, pencils, art packs, paper and pads as well as a delivery of inflatable football nets, footballs and other football accessories from Duncan & Jimmy from Manchester. All of that along with 6 computers and webcams, a scanner and a printer as well as loads of ink and 250Kgs of washing powder basically makes up our load of 155 boxes consisting of over 3100 items and 2600Kg of aid. Every single box has to be accurately weighed and itemised for the customs in country, any mistakes and unfortunately the government makes the charities that we work with in country pay a fine (not what we want).

Sorry if this has been a bit long winded but this first part of the blog will hopefully let everyone know just how much hard work and dedication goes into a convoy from the convoy volunteers (you will hopefully get to know these later), convoy leaders (again you will meet these later) and the CWUHA organisers who work long and hard arranging with Royal Mail and BT for the release of the vehicles, dealing with the various governments of the countries that we will be travelling through, as well as liaising with the charities and organisations that we will be delivering the aid to when we get to Moldova and Transdnistria.

Well that’s it for now we are approaching Newcastle (a little later than expected but that’s the way it sometimes is) and I have some old friends to get re acquainted with and some new friends to make. Hopefully we should have some video footage on YouTube soon so that my old and new friends will become familiar to you as well. Names, where from, number of convoys, CB handles and why and where they are going to

Keep checking for regular updates

See ya later

Paul (one half of the big boppers)