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UPDATE 21 September 2009, Tony writes:-
Many thanks to everyone who has given so generously to our chosen charity Mercy Ships. I can now tell you that including off-line pledges and donations you have enabled us to exceed our target of £1000.Don't let this stop you giving if you have not yet done so-the site remains open for anothe 2-3 months!We will update the tally etc. on the site as we collect in sponsor forms and money.
By now most of you will have heard that I tried to continue the journey by air after launching myself from my bike heading downhill out of Belford, near Holy Isle. It was a lovely sunny morning and we had completed about half of our trip-we were due to spend the night with friends, Tony and Alison near Berwick.Unfortunately I ended up unconscious with a broken elbow and shoulder,leaving Ruth, her sister Frances and sister in law Heather, to arrange for my safe conveyance via ambulance, to Wansbeck Hospital in Northumberland where they patched and plastered me up after operating on my elbow.Later in the week Frances drove us back to Dumfries where I was allowed home after a night in the local hospital.
I'm very disappointed that I was unable to complete the trip but as I hope you can see from the photos we enjoyed the half we were able to do and had great fun with Franny and Heather who were super company. I would like to thank them and Ruth for looking after me following the accident, thanks to Jonathan and Gemma for their hospitality and help, and sorry for all the trauma and trouble I have caused everyone.Glad I spent £50 on a new helmet, which is now heading for the bin after saving my marbles and life!
tony the one armed typist
original text:-Tony and I are going to cycle from to between the 7 and 11 of September on the Coast and Castles Sustrans route. This is a distance of 200 miles and we hope to do all but a little bit at the beginning and end over the 5 days from Monday to Friday. As it’s quite an effort for us fifty somethings ( and yes I can think of easier ways to spend an early autumn holiday) we hope you will encourage us by sponsoring us for a good cause!
We’d like to raise money for Mercy Ships, a global charity, which has operated a fleet of hospital ships in developing nations since 1978.
Friends of ours, Pat and John, in Twynholm volunteer for Mercy Ships and travelled to on the Anastasia hospital ship. They came back to give us first hand, photographic and very moving accounts of the work which this organisation is doing. It functions entirely on donations and skilled and unskilled people giving freely of their time and services.
The volunteers in Mercy Ships work particularly in Liberia and Sierra Leone where the child mortality rates for under 5’s are 23.5% and 28.2% respectively According to the World Health Organisation, Sierra Leone has the highest child mortality rate in the world. That’s almost one in three children! Our child mortality rate is 0.5%.
One of Mercy Ships projects Pat told us about is the Aberdeen West African Fistula Centre, , The Obstetric Fistula Programme provides surgery for women suffering from obstetric fistula, an injury incurred during childbirth. Fistula causes incontinence and many women are abandoned by partners and families and loose their confidence and self esteem. The programme treats women from across , as well as from neighbouring and . The centre includes an outpatient clinic for children 12 years old and under. The clinic is playing a vital role in the treatment and prevention of malaria and diahorrea which are all too often fatal.
This project was one which really caught my attention particularly as I did not know that the condition of fistula existed but Mercy Ships have lots of projects – surgical, dental, for disabled, blind; sick and poor people and other community projects to do with bringing clean water and improving agriculture. Please see their website www.mercyships.co.uk where their work is described.
“I applaud the Mercy Ships in their efforts of transformational development as they make a lasting difference in a world of need. Mercy Ships has committed themselves to the vision of an African renaissance in their vision of bringing hope and healing to the continent of . … I salute the vision and mission of Mercy Ships and ask that you join me in supporting their noble work and contribute to make this world a better place."
Nelson Mandela - Former President, .
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