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Further information regarding the drop at the Islamic centre on Monday. This was filmed by a local TV crew, all in Albanian. This was the fourth television interview during Hope and Aid Direct's time in Kosovo.
Charles Storer had a meeting with the Head of Fiscal Affairs, who is in charge of the entire Kosovan budget, which also covers parking charges at customs. She was very interested in the case put forward and is investigating matters further and will be in touch about any future charges. This proved a very positive meeting and we should have some more news when the crews return.
Two Taffs went back to Ferizaj to visit approximately 30 families in a collection centre. Last year one of the mothers had lost her two daughters in a fire at the home two weeks prior to our visit and although we could not compensate for the loss of her children she was given goods to assist in refurbishing a new room. This time, the good news is that she is pregnant and the baby is due in May. She was given lots of baby clothes, a cot, a pram etc.
Also received was an update on the ambulance taken out in October 2005. It's now successfully being used to transport Serbs in rural villages to the facility next to the hospital.
Who went?
We had two 40 tonners on the trip this Easter crewed by Steve Walsh with Dennis Little, and Dave Luscombe-Russell with Stephen Hunter.
The Fire Tender was manned by Richard Mills and Jason John.
The seven 7.5 tonners were crewed by Alan Beckwith with Graeme Fordham, John Cox with Gavin Keegan, Chas and Bev Storer, Bill Nelson with Jeff Gill (on the way out and Mike Crock for the return), Tina Williams with John Evans and two three person crews of Maura Stock, John Winyard and Margaret Norton, and Paul Evans, Mike Crock and David Palmer.
As usual we had our airborne team; although they don't drive out with the main group, the part they play is no less important, helping the others at the warehouse and with the distributions. This Easter the group was made up of Lin Holland (who flew out ahead of the others to set up the warehouse facility), Maggie Beecher, Kirsty Storer, Mark Wynne-Pedder, Gaynor MacGregor and Jill Bates.
How did we get there?
We used our now tried and tested route:
Departure from Dover on the cross channel ferry to Calais, (France) Bruges, (Belgium) Brussels, Liege, Aachen, (Germany) Koln, Frankfurt, Wurzburg, Nurnburg, , Plzen, Praha, (Czech Republic) Brno, Bratislava, (Slovakia) Budapest, (Hungary) Szeged, , Tompa, Subotica, (Serbia) Novi Sad, Beograd, Nis, Prokuplje and finally Pristina (Kosovo) that's a total of 2,115 Km (if we don't take unexpected detours).

20 bicycles, 1 tonne of tools, 15 wheelchairs, 1 dentist chair, over 1,500 teddy bears, 20 pallets clothes, c20 pallets food, 2 pallets carpet tiles, 3 pallets candles, 4 pallets toiletries, 1 pallet washing powder, 4 pallets batteries, 1 pallet Subbuteo games, 1 pallet cereal bowls, 4 pallets nappies, 2 pallets mini footballs, 3 pallets shampoo, 2 pallets Tampax, 1 pallet pillow cases, 2 pallets toys, 6 javelin, shot put, discus, a white lining machine, millions of fruit tea bags, Inside Out Rugs, a wooden Truck and a small mouse!

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