We plan to set off from Kent on 4th of August and drive two Land Rover Defenders down through Africa, stopping to assist three Children's Hospices along the way. We aim to reach Cape Town by April 2002 (see excel spreadsheet of itinerary here) and raise a significant sum for the children at Demelza House.

How exactly are we going to achieve this? It is important to realize that we are now in the preparation stage of our project and that we do not yet have all the answers. Any suggestions and advice will be welcomed with open arms.

We have successfully bought two Land Rover Defender 110s'. The Land Rover Defender is in common use throughout Africa and will hence make the job of obtaining spare parts more straightforward. We will have to spend a lot of time researching the terrain and likely weather patterns and then adapt our vehicles accordingly. Mark and Charlie are currently in charge of logistics and, amongst other considerations, are researching winches, roll bars, sump and fuel tank protectors, spare fuel tanks, built in safes, roof racks, spare parts and of course fuel requirements. Both vehicles have now been sprayed bright yellow for the expedition and will be decorated with our logo, the Demelza House clown symbol and the logos of all of our sponsors.

"Land Rover are pleased that the 'Kent2CapeTown.com' team have chosen the Land Rover Defender for their journey. The aims of the venture reflect the values of Defender using sheer guts and determination to overcome all obstacles." Michael Gould, Land Rover PR.

Travelling overland from Africa's tip to its toe is an enormously ambitious undertaking. We will be faced with some of the most dramatic physical and political conditions on earth. As well as being inspiringly beautiful, the diverse African landscape and weather conditions are unpredictable. The geography of Africa presents us with considerable difficulties but the political climate presents us with a greater challenge still. Parts of Africa are very unstable and other parts can flare up at any time. We will have to plan our trip down to every last detail and even then be prepared to abort and switch to a back up plan at short notice. Rory has been placed in charge of researching African politics and 'red tape'. If anyone can perform this task adequately, he's the man! Finding a practical and safe route from Kent to Cape Town is a complex task and has been designated its own section. This will be updated as our plans develop. Once the trip is under way you will be able to follow our route and stay abreast of changes. Check it out.

The team will consist of six people, two women and four men. We are all in our early twenties. There will be no hierarchy as such within the team. It is a group effort and each member is equally valued and will play an equal role in deciding the overall tone of the project. We have delegated individuals to the roles they are most suited to. This is merely to increase productivity. Jon is the overall coordinator simply because we need someone to ensure the team members are liasing correctly and working for the advancement of the project as a whole. The project was his brainchild and so this was his logical role.

The fundamental goal of the trip is to raise a significant sum for the children at Demelza House. How exactly do we propose to do this? We are at present concentrating our efforts on raising the status of Kent2CapeTown.com. We have received confirmation from HRH Prince Michael of Kent (KCVO), R. Loder Symonds, (High Sheriff of Kent) and Commander R. H. Bawtree OBE, (RN) that they are delighted to be our official patrons. Commander Bawtree has recently retired after a distinguished career in the Royal Navy and now works as Clerk to the 'Worshipful Company of Carmen', the transport Livery company to the city of London. This connection has brought us a great deal of sound advice and some invaluable contacts and publicity. We recently met the Archbishop of Canterbury who showed enormous enthusiasm for our venture and has since agreed to support the project in his official capacity.

We are working hard, especially within Kent and amongst the friends of Demelza house, to circulate knowledge of what we are doing. We have been successful in making valuable contacts and are receiving publicity through local radio and press. We hope to arrange for a documentary to be made of our trip and are currently in early talks with a few suitable production companies.

We hope to obtain our equipment through donation. Businesses providing us with equipment will be acknowledged on this site and in our brochure along side our financial sponsors. Links from this site to theirs may be possible. 'Syntegra', a branch of BT, have promised us two lap top computers and satellite links with which to access the Internet whilst 'on the road'. We need to obtain outdoor equipment such as tents, sleeping bags and stoves as well as equipment with which to modify our vehicles, spare tyres, the provision of a fuel source, medical supplies etc. We need to arrange for our vehicles to be shipped home and for our own return air fairs. The equipment we need is extensive and will be published in full once we are in a position to do so.

Once our project has gained a high and respected profile, with the help of this web site and the glossy brochure that has now been printed, we will be in a position to get the cash rolling in! We aim to get both corporate and private sponsorship as well as organize our own fund raising initiatives. Pub quizzes, raffles, auctions of promises and a local dance music night are examples of what we have in mind. For further information and to keep up with recent fund raising events check out the 'Help us' section

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