Stretcher push pays for ambulance

A trip is planned for November to take the ambulance to Romania

A sponsored stretcher push through Bristol raised £800 towards the cost of sending a refurbished ambulance to an industrial area of Romania.

The charity 'Ambulance 4 Romania' has bought an old vehicle from Great Western Ambulance (GWA) to send to villagers in the Baru area.

"A car with a mattress in the back currently serves as the ambulance," said GWA's Richard Clark.

"There is a real need for a proper ambulance in this area," he added.

Public thanked

Mr Clark helped set up the charity with Elaine Webb, a colleague from St John Ambulance.

He said: "The authorities have told the villagers that because the vehicle that is now being used is not suitable they will have to stop running their ambulance service unless a replacement can be found but they have no funds to buy one.

"This area depends on the ceramics industry - the problem is there is a lot of outdated equipment and workers are often exposed to compression type injuries and serious burns."

"The first ambulances we took to Romania 10 years ago are still in use today and I am told they are still the best they have; the drivers treat them as if they are their own," said Mr Clark.

So far Richard and his friends in the charity have raised nearly £2,500 towards the total cost of £4,000 of sending a refurbished ambulance.

"The public were very generous and I would like to thank them for all their support," said Richard Clark.

A trip is planned for 30 November 2007 to take the refurbished ambulance over to Romania.