On 28th December 2007 Lost in Transits are off to The Gambia. Lost in Transits is the collective name for a group of vehicles taking part in the Plymouth –Banjul Challenge representing 3 Bristol Charities: Young Bristol, Show of Strength Theatre Company and GAFSIP.
The Idea. Trevor Jones and Gill Loats had often talked of doing a driving challenge for our respective charities, one of those vintage car ones, after all we are enthusiasts (Ford Anglia, MGA, MGB owners!). Imagine Monte Carlo or Bust, The Cannonball Run, we’d be Farrah Fawcett, Burt Reynolds, Penelope Pitstop. Terry Thomas! Trouble is, that takes loads of money and then we heard about the Plymouth- Banjul Challenge and Carl (who worked for Young Bristol) who went last year and wanted to do it again and then we met some firemen………
The Challenge. In a car costing £100 or less, the challenge is to drive from Plymouth (or somewhere in England) to Banjul on the West Coast of Africa, over 3500 miles. All cars and equipment that makes it is auctioned off and the money raised given to Gambian Charities.
The Vehicles. So what vehicles should we take? Had to be left hand drive, had to be worth less than £100, Lada’s are popular but not really what we had in mind….and then we met Dave and Pete from GAFSIP. The government had promised 15 Green Goddesses for the Gambian Fire Brigade and we could drive one to the Gambia! Well we could have done if we could get it out of Yate - after one Saturday morning of been driven at snails pace, inhaling fumes, with deafening noise, bruised and rattled to death, eating fuel and with an embarrassing stalling situation, we decided against it. They’re being shipped! However the fire brigade do want a mini bus and Young Bristol happen to have one ready to be decommissioned. GAFSIP have now acquired a couple of Ford Transit ambulances they need taking so Carl and his Mum and Firemen Pete and Adrian are taking them and we’ve got ourselves a convoy….and a group name Lost in Transits.
The Idea. Trevor Jones and Gill Loats had often talked of doing a driving challenge for our respective charities, one of those vintage car ones, after all we are enthusiasts (Ford Anglia, MGA, MGB owners!). Imagine Monte Carlo or Bust, The Cannonball Run, we’d be Farrah Fawcett, Burt Reynolds, Penelope Pitstop. Terry Thomas! Trouble is, that takes loads of money and then we heard about the Plymouth- Banjul Challenge and Carl (who worked for Young Bristol) who went last year and wanted to do it again and then we met some firemen………
The Challenge. In a car costing £100 or less, the challenge is to drive from Plymouth (or somewhere in England) to Banjul on the West Coast of Africa, over 3500 miles. All cars and equipment that makes it is auctioned off and the money raised given to Gambian Charities.
The Vehicles. So what vehicles should we take? Had to be left hand drive, had to be worth less than £100, Lada’s are popular but not really what we had in mind….and then we met Dave and Pete from GAFSIP. The government had promised 15 Green Goddesses for the Gambian Fire Brigade and we could drive one to the Gambia! Well we could have done if we could get it out of Yate - after one Saturday morning of been driven at snails pace, inhaling fumes, with deafening noise, bruised and rattled to death, eating fuel and with an embarrassing stalling situation, we decided against it. They’re being shipped! However the fire brigade do want a mini bus and Young Bristol happen to have one ready to be decommissioned. GAFSIP have now acquired a couple of Ford Transit ambulances they need taking so Carl and his Mum and Firemen Pete and Adrian are taking them and we’ve got ourselves a convoy….and a group name Lost in Transits.
Team Info
Lost in Transits is made up of 3 teams of two each driving a Ford Transit Ambulance. The teams are each supporting a variety of charities. To find out more about the teams...
Follow our Progress
Our route is available on Google Maps. We will be updating both the map, with our current location, and our diary page once we are on the road. Please check back regularly to keep up to date with our progress.