More information

On 23rd August, 2003, four cyclists, a LandRover Series II, a driver and a cameraman set off from Cape Town and, after over 10,000 miles, 11 countries, we will arrive in London by the end of January.

We aim to raise £50,000 through individual and ethical corporate sponsorship, and awareness for the often forgotten but tragic phenomenon of slavery. Anti-Slavery International is a charity that has sought to relieve the misery to which hundreds of thousands of people are condemned. They aim to this by putting pressure on governments to act and legislate against the sale and trafficking of slaves. There are an enormous amount of very worthwhile charities which we considered, however, we regard slavery as one of the most intense forms of human suffering, and one that is whole unjustifiable and unacceptable within today's society. You can find out more about the charity and its invaluable work by clicking on any of the Anti-Slavery links.

All the participants are graduates of St. John's College, Oxford, where we came up with the idea of this huge journey. The route we have decided to take seemed particularly apt for the cause. The purchasing and trafficking of slaves takes place in some of the African countries through which we pass, and, unbeknownst to most, many of these slaves are sold in Europe as prostitutes or child labour. We therefore trace the route of many women and children whose lives are to be marked by suffering and bondage. The route up the East coast of Africa has also been prescribed by the many civil wars, border disputes and tyrannical regimes that have afflicted this continent. When we reach Cairo, with desert and troubled areas on our left and the conflicts of the Middle-East on our right, we are forced to take a short ferry trip from Port Said to Italy from where complete the final leg to London. The Sudan is the area causing us greatest concern due to its very unstable political situation. Another problem was where to go from Egypt. We aimed to stay on our bikes for the largest proportion of the journey possible, and had also hoped to find a safe route through the Middle-East. If, when we arrive at Port Said, this is feasible, then our plans to board a boat to Italy will change.

Sponsorship is being raised by the organisation of a number of events and appealing to the interests of corporations seeking some positive exposure. If you are interested in sponsoring us then please visit the 'Help Us' section. Or if you would just like to find out more information about what we are doing the please feel free to contact us by e-mail.