In response to the emergency caused by the 2006 flooding in Romania, Charles Storer, Trustee and Treasurer organised an emergency convoy to South West Dolj County and South East Constanta County of Romania in less than two weeks time.

This was after receiving the news that 1,049 homes had been destroyed and the number was rising daily, as at 5 May 2006 there were 13,401 internally displaced people in refugee camps etc. World Vision, Red Cross, and US Aid were all appealing for more help. These agencies feared further rain and more flooding in the following 30 days as water levels continued to rise.

The timetable - was for two 40 tonners to depart UK Wednesday 31 May and the two 7.5 tonners to depart Friday 2 June - the convoy was scheduled to last anything up to 2 weeks duration.

What was taken - Aqua boxes from Rotary as water and sanitation is already a worry. Wellington boots, plus the usual blankets and food, as well as some clothes but as usual all the normal basics.

In Chas' Storer's own words "It was a challenging 2½ weeks getting it together, but everyone in the team helped to make it happen!"

Thanks to a fantastic and swift response from both Hope and Aid Direct team members, the public and Rotary Clubs, everything came together really quickly and the mini-convoy left on Wednesday 31 May with the following aid: The loads included 160 Rotary Emergency boxes, 200 Rotary Aqua boxes, 40 Rotary Shelters, 10 pallets biscuit, 6 pallets cereal, 10 pallets new clothing and loads more besides.

Romanian Flood Convoy 2006

Many of you may not be aware that there were terrible floods in Romania during the spring of 2005 and again in 2006.

Thousands of people were forced from their homes and their land, which meant they also lost their crops, livestock and the seed for next year.

The authorities destroyed flood defences in some areas to help relieve the floods affect on cities.

The worst effected were the poorest subsistence farmers who were relocated to tented encampments on higher land. 

We gathered together 50 tonnes of aid, in two weeks. We purchased another £2,300 worth of fresh vegetables after we arrived, a tonne of onions, half a tonne of carrots, 2 tonnes of cabbages and about 4 tonnes of potatoes, plus pulses.

Two 40 tonne trucks and two 7.5 tonne trucks; 8 drivers and 6 airborne, (Dave Smith drove, but flew home to work while we were out there and then flew back to Bucharest to drive the truck home safely).

6 full days driving to get there, 4 days only for organising and distribution and another 5 days to get back; A total journey of 3,394 miles.

What we took included 6 tonnes of biscuit, 2 tonnes of cereal, 4 tonnes flour, 5 tonnes tinned food, 1 tonne dried soup, 160 rotary Emergency boxes (each containing items as a family starter pack after an emergency) 200 Rotary Aqua boxes (each containing much of the contents of an emergency box plus a vital water filter to filter thousands of litres of water, 40 Rotary Shelter boxes (each containing a 10 person tent, sleeping bags, a cooker, tools, clothing and other items, not to mention 24 fantastic sports kits, rolls of material that we cut into blankets, wheelchairs and crutches that were all sought after and tonnes of toys (or as we had to call them educational items because of a stupid law that doesn't allow import of toys), toiletries, shoes, clothing, bedding, toilet rolls, rain capes and loads more besides! Distribution directly into the hands of 2,590 families comprising 8,000 individuals.