Following a recent presentation at the BAR Yorkshire Area meeting, Specialised Movers offered to provide and finance the sea freight of hospital supplies, equipment and personal effects for Lucy Fisher

Graham Puddephatt of Reason Global insurance is the Yorkshire Area Chairman and with obvious early discussions to assist Lucy, had contacted Rolf Ossmann of Worldwide Movers in Malawi, who had offered to deal with the customs clearance and onward delivery to the Hospital in Malawi.

Lucy has just finish her nursing degree, and is required to have a placement in a hospital, as she had already trained extensively within a UK hospital; she felt going to an overseas hospital would be both rewarding and great experience.

She has chosen Zomba in Malawi as a destination for her elective placement, to consolidate skills, gain experience and volunteer in a hospital within a developing country, gaining an understanding of the challenges faced by staff working with minimal resources (i.e. staff, equipment) in order to cater to the demands of the local district.

From understanding how the facility runs and the training provided to nurses there, she would like to build on the experience of previous students who have volunteered there, to focus on developing a relationship between the department of health sciences in Zomba and the department of health sciences in York to augment a sustainable learning environment for nurses out there.

Nigel and Carole Shaw were touched by this story, and knowing of the pitfalls of exports to Africa, offered to finance and forward the Shipment to Blantyre (the inland port in Malawi). “Lucy delivered the goods to our depot in Sheffield where we packed the goods in to two telescopic lift vans, then with the consignment ready to go we called on a good friend and EUROMOVERS partner Roger Aitkin of Stephen Morris Shipping, for advice on preferred freight forwarders, he advised we contact a company in Manchester called Cardinal Maritime, who gave us a dedicated point of contact name Gerard Lyons, who understood the total system of shipments to Africa and assisted all the way.  The consignment was delivered to Manchester on 10 August and will be on its way to Malawi on 16 August with a 45 day transit time.”

All in all, “a credit to the EUROMOVERS network and Cardinal Maritime for assisting the sick and needy of Malawi”.

Photo: Lucy Fisher (right) and friend with Eddie Kaluwa of Combine Cargo in Malawi.