It’s been a pretty busy couple of weeks as we have been trying to pull a few fundraising and awareness events together. We’ve been interviewed by the local paper (the Herald Express), and hopefully there’ll be a nice, informative piece in next Tuesday’s edition. Certainly (the reporter) Alex’s relaxed approach made for a long and wide ranging interview. It stretched from my accident (let’s get back to the Eighties) to date, with lots of personal detail, thoughts and meditations about what the project currently means to us. I’m not at all sure what will make the final copy, but I’m pretty confident it will be a good enough read (possibly even at my own expense!). In some ways the process was cathartic; as I’ve blogged before much of the plan makes no rational sense, so a chance like this, to reflect on the rhyme and reason, is hopefully as useful to us, as it might be interesting to others. (BTW I haven’t heard anything go out from the Radio Devon interview – this is definitely not a game for those with a fragile ego!)

We’ve also been investigating the best ways to raise additional funds so everything is above board, fair and transparent. The complication is fundraising for the Expedition itself vs the seperate but linked activity of raising money for Motivation.

We hope that you’ve seen the new ‘Donate’ buttons on the site – these will direct donations to the Indlovu Drive itself, and will be used to help expedition costs such as:

• Spare parts and maintenance
• Travelling Expenses (budgeted at £50-80 per day between us)
  • Accommodation
  • Food
  • Fuel
• Visas
• Shipping
• Air fares
• Insurances
• Carnet
• Training

• Any surplus raised above the costs incurred by the Expedition as outlined above, will be passed, in their entirety, to the charity Motivation. The Expedition is not for profit.
• A discreet bank account in the name of the Expedition is being set-up to manage monies raised by fundraising. (Cheques made payable to ‘The Indlovu Trans-Africa Drive’ if you are of a mind to!)
• We think (subject to advice from HMRC and a friendly accountant) that we will need to manage this part of the project as a business. That way things can literally be accountable from the off.

Alternatively to donate to Motivation directly, then please use our JustGiving page (and don’t forget to GiftAid!) – we welcome all support!

We are doing our first fundraiser at Marldon Apple Pie Fair this coming Saturday. We have a table and Tombola – thanks to everyone who has donated prizes for this. It will be the first public unfurling of our new banner, kindly provided by Torbay Blinds and Riviera Signs. It’s a great back-drop and hopefully will help to draw people in to ask for more detail about the trip and Motivation and their work. Thanks to Peter Gratton-Davey, Charlie Wakeham at Torbay Blinds and Dave Latham and Dean at Riviera Signs)

Other events for your diary, courtesy of Dave and Trisha Smith at the Bickley Mill are:

Friday 29th April 2011

Leaving Party Extravaganza

The Marquee

Newton Abbot RFC

Tags: biography, Charity, Ethics, finance, funding, money, motivation, philosophy, Press, Sponsorship, Visa, www.motivation.org.uk

Water Tank in Place

Richard and I had another jaunt to OEC today, we were asked not to go too early as the boys had been away at the Landrover show in Billing all weekend and had a bit of tidying to do before we would be able to get to the vehicle. Paul was again on hand to advise of the new additions to the Landy (Paula), the frame for the Azalai is in the process of being mounted, the water tanks are in situ as is the pipework which takes the warm water from the engine’s cooling system and around the water tanks to ensure the water stays above freezing. Once the frame has been fixed it will be possible to attach the Pod, I certainly look forward to taking that picture!

Uprated Front Nearside Spring (polybags to follow)

The uprated front suspension springs are in and the back ones will be fitted next – once there’s room on the ramp in the workshop! The suspension airbags will be going in soon too of course.

A couple of weeks ago we ordered the new front seats from Exmoor Trim, these being the very excellent Defender Elite Seats in Outlast trim. We were advised that we needed to get cracking with the order as there was likely to be a 4-5 week lead time on these, however these have arrived and can now be fitted – once in we can contact GM Coachworks to look at the hand controls/left foot accelerator options.

Exmoor Trim Defender Elite

The Pod is coming along nicely, the toilet is in along with the cupboard and the shelving behind. The bench seats are all finished as are  the load bearing supports for the upper and lower bunks. The hobs and blower lid have arrived although not fitted yet – they look very neat. The seats for the benches were not at OEC (they are finished but take up alot of room and so are being stored elsewhere) so it will still be a surprise regarding the colour/pattern, hopefully will hide the dirt and dust nicely.

Galley Area (Wallas hob not yet in)

Toilet and Shower

Paul with the Wallas Hob

Tags: adaptation, Azalai, Build, disability, Equipment, GM Coachworks, OEC, Rachie, Specification, Vehicle

Much thanks to Gillian Bence for a welcome donation to Motivation.org.uk.

Thanks to Gareth Hardwick for a very generous donation to the Expedition Fund accompanied by some great sentiment..

The Bickley Mill, Stoneycombe

Also thanks to Trish and Dave Smith at the Bickley Mill who have pledged to host two fundraising events. A Fish Cooking Demo and Lunch (likely 22/23rd Nov tbc) and a Wine Tasting Evening on 22nd January 2011 – if anyone has any raffle prizes for these or other events then please do get in touch with me 07778 547119 or email. More details to follow but please put the dates in your diaries.

Thanks to Peter Gratton-Davey and Charlie Wakeham at Torbay Blinds and Dave Latham and Dean Griffiths at Riviera Signs for helping with a banner that we can use at publicity events.

Tags: Charity, funding, Sponsorship, www.motivation.org.uk

In part, I’m sure due to work’s Communications Team helping to distribute our Press Release – there has been if not a flurry exactly, a swell of interest from a couple of media organisations. 

BBC Radio Devon

This morning I had the pleasure of meeting BBC Radio Devon’s Sophie Pierce, for what was my first radio interview. We had a brief, preparatory chat about my background and history, and then we were straight in. Luckily for both me and the potential listener it was all recorded rather than live. I did advise Sophie that I can “go on a bit” – and between nerves, inexperience and maybe by even having a story to tell, I did just that! 

The paradox is that I’ll have to listen to whatever she can edit together to remember what it was that I actually said. All I can hope is that there’s enough there to be of interest to anyone who listens to the finished piece. I certainly plugged Motivation. Hopefully some of the stats reflecting the size of the challenge that their work is trying to address will make it into the final edit. 

E.G.  You do the maths on this: The numbers are obscenely staggering and illustrate an under-publicised, modern day, global scandal in my view….. 

“It is estimated

• that only 2% of people with disabilities in low-income countries have access to rehabilitation and appropriate basic services.
• Nearly 90% of the global burden of disability occurs in low-income countries, the very countries where so little is spent on rehabilitation. Anyone with a disability is automatically disadvantaged because disability makes poverty worse. It increases isolation and economic strain for the affected family as well as the individual. Statistics show that children with disabilities are more likely to die young, become malnourished or neglected. Disabled people who are denied education are then unable to find employment and the circle becomes more vicious.”

Anyway, as far as my Andy Warhol (15) moment(s), I suppose that I shouldn’t be too perturbed, as the Royal Geographic Society’s guidance on radio production says that in general, 100 minutes of raw material is needed to make just 1 minute of good listening!

Sophie couldn’t be sure when exactly it will go out – but thought it would probably be on the BBC Radio Devon Breakfast Show sometime (0600 – 0900,  103.4 FM | 95.7 FM)

Brixham News (the free paper) have also shown an interest and I have sent them some pictures (heavily photoshopped of course!) and some detail on what we are hoping to achieve.  Karen from BN has said that they hope to get something published in the next couple of weeks.

We can only hope that this is the beginning of a lot of good publicity as that can only help with fundraising. Certainly it was another novel experience enjoyed as a result of undertaking this project.

Tags: Africa, biography, Charity, disability, Ethics, motivation, philosophy, Press, Publicity, Sponsorship, www.motivation.org.uk

A Motivation Wheelchair Workshop

We also mass produce a range of appropriate and durable wheelchairs, called  Worldmade, for developing countries which are assembled, prescribed and fitted by trained local services and workshops.” Motivation.Org.uk  

Cora Dobbie

Cora Dobbie has made a fantastic donation to Motivation – equating to another wheelchair for someone in the developing world. It also adds to Motivation’s 20th Anniversary £500 000 Campaign, “Wheels Out of Poverty” which our Azalai Land Rover,  Indlovu Trans Africa Drive is specifically supporting. Thanks Mum in Law X  

If you would like to easily make a donation to Motivation (and claim gift aid too) then please click here to go to our Just Giving Page. Any amount will make a real difference to the lives and opportunities of disabled people across the globe.

Tags: Charity, disability, Ethics, motivation, wheelchair, www.motivation.org.uk