From Ealing to Libya on 11/11/11

As dawn breaks on Saturday a group of volunteers from the UK will start a 1500 mile drive from London to deliver ambulances and supplies to Libya.

Organised by the charity Save Life Save The World, the trip is taking five ambulances, a cold storage truck and a disabled vehicle to the war-torn country.

The volunteers include a pharmacist, businessmen and a journalist who will take it in turns at the wheel and sleep in their vehicles as they make their way through France to Marseilles, into Tunisia by ferry and then the final leg into Libya.

Despite only being conceived a month ago, the group has managed to gather donations worth £60k, 5 ambulances, one disabled car and a cold storage van with a total value of £100k.

It’s all going to three hospitals in Libya in Tripoli, Zowia and Sebha, the main hospital in the south of the country, which serves many towns and smaller hospitals.

Some of the group have done similar trips before to Iraq, Gaza, and Darfur.

For others, like Ealing Today’s Viv Ellis, it’s their first. "I am such a terrible driver. Usually abroad, I have to put a cross on the back of my hand to remind me to drive on the right. Thanks Heavens it's a convoy. I just need to follow the bloke in front."

The drive will take a week. (or for Viv, possibly longer)

Viv Ellis

Best of luck to Viv

10 November 2011