07 March 2008
The team Transplant Titans has reached the Gambian capital after completing a 17-day rally packed with adventure as part of the Plymouth-Banjul Challenge 2008.
The team left on January 11th and reached Banjul early on the 28th, after covering an impressive distance of 3,996 miles on board their Toyota 4Runner four wheel drive.
One of the crucial rules of the challenge is to complete the challenge with a car worth less than £100.
Team mates Hany Riad and Titus Augustine, both transplant surgeons at Manchester Royal Infirmary, will use the money raised by the challenge to support the Kings Kid Academy in the Gambia and the Transplant Unit Endowment Research Fund in Manchester.
Pageant (Projects Aiding Gambian Education And Natural Talent), which has previously collected almost £20,000 from previous challenges, will receive the donations for the Kings Kid Academy.
The Plymouth-Banjul Challenge is an ironic tribute to the Paris-Dakar Rally.
In both cases teams have to face challenging conditions and cover a considerable mileage, but with the former, only teams on a very small budget can compete.
Their cars are auctioned off for charitable organisations at the end of the trip.