The Plymouth-Banjul Challenge started in 2003 as an ironic tribute to the Paris-Dakar Rally. Instead of highly expensive cars driven by world class rally drivers, with large back-up teams, this challenge consists of small teams on strictly limited budgets, and at the end of the challenge, the cars are auctioned for the benefit of local good causes. Teams in previous challenges together raised nearly £20,000 for Pageant, as well as helping us in other ways. See summaries of the  2006 and 2007 Challenges for further details, and see our 2008 Challenge summary for information about other teams helping Pageant.

Team Transplant Titans (T8903) consisted of Hany Riad and Titus Augustine, who are transplant surgeons at Manchester Royal Infirmary. They were in Group 9 of the 2008 Plymouth-Banjul Challenge, and left for The Gambia on 11 January 2008. As well as helping Pageant, they raised funds for transplant research projects.

"I always led a quiet life and my spare time is spent either with my family, socialising with friends or relaxing in my apartment in Spain. It had never occurred to me that one day I would be taking part in such an adventure but when my colleague Titus came up with the idea the temptation was such that I could not turn it down. I hope we can make a little difference to the people of Gambia, build up some useful charitable links and come back with lots of stories to tell."

"I came across the Plymouth Dakar Rally in a flight magazine and it immediately caught my fancy. I also knew immediately that Hany would be the best person for company if we broke down and had to walk the Sahara! I find that the world has become such a small place with air travel and the spirit of the Plymouth Banjul rally with a combination of adventure and charity had me hooked immediately. In the process we hope to do our little bit for charity in the Gambia and increasing awareness of transplantation and organ donation."

The back-up team

Transplant Titans have a team of enthusiasts who are kindly helping them with organisation and fund raising in their own time, including their PAs Simone Williams and Trisha Dowdall in the Transplant Office at Manchester Royal Infirmary.

The good causes

Kings Kid Academy

Transplant Titans' chosen Pageant project is the Kings Kid Academy, a nursery school near Lamin south west of Banjul. In the 2007 Plymouth-Banjul Challenge, Desert Mice & First to the Bar raised around £3000 for Kings Kid. The Transplant Titans hope to help Pageant carry on with this good work. Headmaster Jacob Amadi has emailed to say "We are very excited to know that Transplant Titans will be coming to The Gambia and that you have approved that the funds raised by them during their campaign will be used for King's Kid Academy. We shall tell the children about their upcoming visit and we shall as usual give them an exciting welcome. We shall in our own little way pray for their journey mercies and safe arrival to The Gambia." You can find out more about Pageant's work just by looking at our website. If you aren't familiar with what we do, then start by looking at our Projects page.

Transplant Unit Endowment Research Fund

As well as helping Pageant, Hany and Titus will be raising funds for their own Transplant Unit Endowment Research Fund. They are both senior consultant transplant surgeons working at Manchester Royal Infirmary in the UK's largest Kidney and Pancreas transplant unit. Their professional interests include kidney and pancreas transplantation in adults and children and keyhole surgery for living kidney donors. They are also involved in a significant amount of transplant research. The Manchester transplant unit provides kidney transplantation for the whole of the North West and Pancreas transplantation for a wider area that includes, Yorkshire and North Wales. In 2008 the unit will celebrate it's 40th anniversary and possibly it's 4000th transplant. The charitable fund facilitates different transplant research projects at Manchester Royal Infirmary, and one of the current projects is research into constructing a functioning human pancreas from transplanted embryonic pancreas tissue as a cure for diabetes.

Hany and Titus decided to personally cover all their travel costs, so everything raised by sponsorship and fundraising events could be split equally between Pageant and the Transplant Endowment Fund. They kicked off their fundraising with a charity event in Manchester described below. By June 2008, with fundraising essentially completed, almost £4000 had been raised for Pageant projects at Kings Kid Academy. By the end of September, Pageant received the final payment, bringing the grand total for Pageant to £4180.73. All of this is being spent on the new classroom block at Kings Kid Academy. Pageant would like to say a big thank you on behalf of headmaster Mr Jacob Amadi and all the pupils. Pippa and Ian will be visiting KKA in October, where they expect to see great progress.

Charity Event - Sights, Sounds and Tastes of the Plymouth to Banjul Rally

The charity night, which took place at the Living Room, Deansgate, Manchester on 28th November 2007 was a roaring success. The whole night was themed with food and entertainment particular to each country we would be going through. Paul Lockitt from Key 103 introduced the night, while Justin Moorhouse, also from Key 103, set the stage with a comedy sketch about Hany and Titus and the rally. It then moved on to France with a dazzling presentation by a group of can-can dancers. Spain entertained with a flamenco group and Morocco with a belly dancer. The night culminated with an African band playing traditional African music. In true Living Room style, the menu was a sumptuous mix of dishes from the different countries. The hall was packed to capacity and everyone went away having had a great time. Over £7000 was raised.

Progress Reports These are on their own Progress Reports Page