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Spring Convoy of Humanitarian Aid 2011

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The Spring 2011 Convoy to Kosovo commences on 9th May

7.5 tonners

Chas & Bev Storer Robin Hood
Simon Jones & Paul Dyer Brother Bear
John Cox & Graham Crame Grumpies
Jonathan Sturt &  Linda Griffin Saintly
Tom Conlin & Jan Carling Busby
Frank Callanan & Co-Driver Paderwagen


Big Rigs

Paul Barber - Late Entry
Dave Smith - Mr Flibble
Bill Nelson - Nibsy


Airborne

Patricia Cole
Matthew Hexter
Carol Rawlinson
David Fishlock
Anthony Watson
Delyse Hutchings
Norman Hollingsworth
Valerie Cassell

May 27, 2011 19:33
From: Bev
Hi all 7.5 party of the convoy back on terra firma ! Docked at 5.45 and all travelling in our respective directions and looking forward to an English cuppa !

May 26, 2011 20:38
From: Bev
All convoy stopped up for night south of Frankfurt . Good day - another spring went but it was only my hair grip ! :-) and lots of calls from our journey leader , frantic bear , for chicanes left and right , which relieved the boredom of motorway driving .
May 26, 2011 17:20
From: Bill
The HGV's have arrived at the Vlissingen ferry terminal. Nibsy and Entry are booked on the 7 am sailing tomorrow morning and Flibble on the 5 pm sailing. Dave will pick up the bike he bought in Midelberg in the morning. Its blowing half a gale here so might be an interesting.
May 26, 2011 12:12
From: Dave Smith
Stopped just short of Köln for a 30 minute break. Paul and Bill are going for the 0700 boat, and I am going for the 1700 tomorrow.

Received: May 25, 2011 17:18
From: Bill
A good day for the hgv's. Just arrived at Geiselwind where we'll spend the night. Should be on target for the 7 am sailing from Vlisingen on Friday morning.
Received: May 25, 2011 16:44
From: Bev
Set off from Belgrade at 8.30am this morning and making good timing to Hegyeshalom on Hungary / Austrian border with no hold ups at Serbia /Hungary border or from road works ! ETA for dinner tonight at approx 6.30pm . Weather fantastic and gaffer-tape very useful ! All is well .
Received: May 25,From:
Dave Smith 2011 06:23
Bad day yesterday - we tried returning through the Horgos border for the first time and the queues were very long. Now a few hours behind where we wanted to be. Hot sun and temp well into the 30s. Stopped in Hegyeshalom overnight and starting again at 8. 7.5s stopped overnight in Belgrade. Frank now home.

Received: May 24, 2011 20:01
From: Bill (Nibsy)
A good and bad day for the HGV's. Having heard from Padderwagon that he had gone through the Horgos border without problems yesterday we decided to give it a try but it took up 6 hours including 2 hours being fined for too much Kosovon brandy on Nibsy and Late Entry for too many cigarettes. Now after delays in Budapest we have stopped for the night at Hegyeshalom. Nibsy
Received: May 24, 2011 11:05
From: Dave Smith
Arrived at the Serbian/Hungarian border. Long queue. Rain seems to have passed and it's hot and sunny again.
Received: May 24, 2011 16:42
From: Bev
Tues 24th - checked out of hotel and back at warehouse and lorries by 8.45am. Busby (now Norman and Jan) went off to MTS warehouse in Peja to off load a small amount of aid for them to distribute over coming days. Meanwhile other trucks returned loaned pallets in Gjakova, and colleagues at MTS Pristina located Frank's bag he had left there . All met on road to border for quick coffee and then drove on to make final drop of aid to MAK partners. Crossed into Serbia at 3.30pm and welcomed by thunder and lighting ! Driving on to about 7pm (that's the plan, anyway!)
Received: May 24, 2011 16:45
From: Bev
Mon 23rd. Big rigs departed 9ish, airborne at 11am. Rest of convoy went out for our final drops. Robin Hood with Marash and Val from American Uni Kosovo and Agnesa drove up to Serbian enclave, Sredska, and distributed aid to 77 families from 2 areas in one central location (we were unable to take road to Drajcic as it wasn't suitable for lorries, even though we tried) . A majority were older persons so 2 pick up trucks came to collect and take back up to mountain villages, consisting of both Serbs and Bosniaks. Others from Sredska came on foot and all were very grateful and delighted to receive assistance . In this community there appeared to be only 2 teenagers and one baby. All trucks re-convened at warehouse to mop up ( literally as the heavens had opened , and very leaky ! ) went out in eve for dinner and early-ish night before drive home tomorrow .
Received: May 24, 2011 21:42
From: Bev
Sat 21st - Robin Hood, Frantic and Bear with Valerie and Delysee and volunteers from AUK and EULEX to 145 Roma , Ashkalia , Egyptian families in Shtatori , Peje . Hectic but we finished just before the rain started. We were working with a wonderful local partner called '7th September' who we have worked with before at the same place . Got back to warehouse too late to load, but all ready for tomorrow's drops .
Received: May 24, 2011 21:54
From: Bev
Friday 20th - got off to slow start after leaving the warehouse . Robin Hood with Delysee (who was amazing) did drops to 52 Albanian families living in Suhareke & Gilance . Had a good day, really hard work in the heat but pleased to get back to Jan 's diner for a cuppa before loading the trucks for tomorrow .

May 23, 2011 20:51
From: Dave Smith
Stopped at Novi Sad for the night. Lots of rain. Hungary tomorrow.
May 23, 2011 13:47
From: Dave Smith
Through border in 30 mins. Now stopped at Nis for a 45 min break.

May 22, 2011 19:36
From: Bill (Nibsy)
So. NIBSY'S last day. We did two village drops with a total of 53 families. Now we are all set for an earlyish start in the morning. Another very hot day.

May 21, 2011 18:56
From: +Bill (Nibsy)
Three schools today. 2800 children. The last up the narrowest road you would ever want to take a lorry up. Tomorrow we have postponed our departure and will deliver a load of general age to two villages nearby. We will now be departing for home early Monday morning. Norman will be driving Tom's truck with Jan as Tom's temp passport will not allow him to drive home.





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