As well as the food aid and other projects we continue to run, in years past Harvest Plus has provided a mini-bus for an orphanage and three ambulances. One for use at an old peoples home and two that were put to use at hospitals in Berkovitsa and Lom. This year we became aware of the need for a fire engine to replace one of the 30-plus year old machines which is in use in the district of Lom in Bulgaria. As well as being long past an age when they should have been gracefully retired, the machines and Lom fire service in general are woefully ill-equipped for the dangerous job which they have to perform.
So, once we had become aware of the need we began to look at how we might meet it. It turned out that an ex-Essex Fire and Rescue Service fire engine was available, and we could have it if we could raise the funds to purchase it. The original plan was that Lom Municipality would send a couple of firemen over to the UK to receive some training on their new machine before driving it back to Bulgaria, but this turned out not to be possible due to budgetary constraints in Lom. What we had to do then was to transport it on the back of a lorry. This well maintained and relatively young vehicle has cost about £7000 for us to buy and ship to Bulgaria - a very reasonable amount when you think how much new ones cost. With the help of Essex County Council and many members of the public we raised enough money to send the vehicle and also received donations of equipment.
Fund raising for the fire engine has now ceased as the target has been reached and the vehicle is now with its new owners in Lom. However, if you would like to donate for one of our other ongoing projects please see the 'How to Help' page.
| The sponsors: |
Positive Print and Design Ltd. |
| What A Wonderful Result! | Thanks to all those that gave so generously at the Thanksgiving service in The Meadows on Sunday 19th October. £2400 was donated at that event. We have now reached our target and will be able to look into buying some equipment for the fire engine with the extra funds raised. In the event that it is not possible to buy what is required the excess funds will be put towards other Harvest Plus projects. |
Scroll down to see some pictures of the machine in its new home
Thank you for helping us to send this second-life
machine to the people of Lom.
The fire engine being loaded onto the back of a lorry ready to go to Bulgaria. Almost like being gift-wrapped!
A six minute video clip of the fire engine being loaded
on to the back of the lorry, filmed by and with commentary
from John Lancaster. Thanks John. See below at the bottom
of the page for a video clip of the machine on the streets
of Bulgaria.
Roger
Stark signing over the fire engine to its new owners.
New and old side by side.
...with
a Lom Fire Service driver at the wheel.
A 2 minute video clip showing the handover of the keys,
with the fire engine in its new home.
