Game Park Ranger help please!!

[hammock monkey]

Dear All at BCUK,

I am writing to you in the hope that you may be able to help. A Dorset-based charity that I have links with is in urgent need of equipment, and we wondered whether you might be kind enough to donate anything at all. Perhaps you have something that is 'end of line', or even an old second hand gear gathering dust in your own loft!

The organisation is called Gearing up 4 Gorillas (G4G) - registered charity no. 1111663. They work to provide essential equipment to rangers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as they try to protect the endangered mountain gorillas and other wildlife in the Virunga National Park from poaching, illegal mining and the bushmeat trade. The rangers lack basic equipment, have little political support, receive scant pay and risk serious personal danger every day from roaming rebel militia groups and poachers. G4G believes that by providing the rangers with the equipment they so desperately need, they will be able to protect themselves and the mountain gorillas more effectively.

Items like binoculars are essential to enable the rangers to stay one step ahead of the poachers and to track the animals successfully, yet few of the rangers have such a basic item.

If you would be kind enough to donate any items (old or new) it would be very much appreciated. There is an RAF flight taking a delivery of equipment from the charity to the DCR in the coming weeks, so they could be put to very good use quite quickly.

If you can help please either respond to me direct or contact Linda Nunn (a ranger herself of 30 years experience) as Chair of the charity. Linda's contact details are:

Linda Nunn, Chair, G4G (Gearing up 4 Gorillas), 87, Chapel Farm Cottage, Gussage St Andrew, Blandford, Dorset, DT11 8DL
Tel/Fax: 01725 553149 Mobile: 07801 531205 Work: 01725 517417 Email: lindanunn@cranbornechase.org.uk or mc1@rowans74.freeserve.co.uk

Website: http://www.g4g.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards

hammock monkey on behalf of Linda / G4G

 

[British Red]

hammock monkey

I was about to ask for a bigger list of the kit needed...then I thought to click on your website (doh)

I noticed the following which I'm pasting in to draw other peoples attention to this

G4G Aim 8: 2/3 man tents, sleeping bags & general camping equipment

Why?

Rangers are out on patrol for several days or weeks at a time. Although a hot country, DRC has two wet seasons and it can be very cold at night any time of year. Most of the time, they sleep or shelter under cover of bushes and undergrowth. Lightweight tents, sleeping bags and other equipment such as cooking utensils would enable them to keep dry and warm.

Frankfurt Zoological Society often try to arrange training sessions for the rangers and need to undertake this training in realistic situations in the bush. Tents would also help enormously in this kind of situation.

Requirements:

Two or three man tents; sleeping bags, cooking equipment & utensils; water carriers

Unwanted mountain bikes! Any spare wheels, tyres, chains, repair kits, panniers would of course be essential too, in keeping the bikes and rangers on the move.

Any digital camera that works would be gratefully received. Additional memory cards would also help. Carry cases to protect the cameras are always helpful.

Right, I'm sure that I can find some stuff that would be useful here, and that others can too. Actually I can't think of a better use for all that gear that I have and no longer use.

I have gear that I have retired or saved as swaps and lends. Strikes me these guys need it far more than I do!

Could we please have a cut off time as to when you need the stuff and how to get it to you? If we have a few weeks, I'm willing to collect up stuff from the Hampshire guys (good excuse for a meet and a beer lads and lasses?) and run the stuff down to Dorset and deliver to a convenient point one weekend.


All the best hammock monkey - what a fantastic cause!

Red

 

[moko]

I'll get the ball rolling then. A set of bino's are on there way.
This looks like a cause really worth supporting. I cant beleive that mosrt bushcrafters dont have something knocking about they dont use.

Moko

 

[billycan]

Hi Red,
Well done for adding to the details on the thread, i'm sure i've got a few bits to donate, and would be good to meet up in the process, I will make it on time though, sorry!!

 

[hammock monkey]

thank you so much, i knew you lot would understand!!!
i should have said before - check the site for details of specific kit - sorry!
if anyones been watching the Game Park Ranger Diaries (fantastic stuff, great tracking skills demonstrated and good good people) you'll have an idea about what they're about. Any kit that you think you could use on the trail would be great, they'll use it too! They're even after a Toyota Hi-lux (dont supposed anyones got one lying around? ) but just the small stuff will make a big difference - i guess you'd know that as much as anyone! Tell your friends too, i dig the thought that there'll be less land fill and the kit will go to be used to help out. If you can check out the gorilla in the BBC wildlife free photo supplement this month you'll see a pic of a baby gorilla. If that aint a brother from a different mother, i dont know what is!
you lot made my day. respect is due! :You_Rock_

 

[hammock monkey]

in terms of cut off time - there isnt one really, well until G4G say so i guess!
I'm in Cambridge, but i go down to the south west near-ish dorset every other month or so - i'd be happy to cart as much as i could down there for anyone that can get it to me? Postage is an issue - but i dont think they're too worried if it takes a while to get there. Its kind of at the senders discression, i know its not cheap to post gear - but its money very well spent. Anything (even a ball of para cord) would be great - doesnt get much more useful than that...well amybe the hi-lux...

 

[ArkAngel]

I'm sure i have a pair of bino's at home somewhere spare.

I'll have a word with the boss at work, we occasionally get printers etc that are working but unwanted (i work at Cartridge World). I'm sure we could get some of these printers to them

 

[spamel]

It does get very cold in the DROC at night, I was in Bunia in 2003 and it was gibbering at night!! I think this is a fantastic cause and will search in my cellar and see if I have any kit that would be useful to the Rangers. :You_Rock_

 

[jamie6754]

i will see what i can find too

 

[TallMikeM]

I know I have a couple of pairs of binocs knocking around doing nowt. I've found one pair and will track down the other this eve. Is there a postage address for us to send 'em to (hope it isn't ion the post and I just didn't see it )?

 

[hammock monkey]

Hi, all the details of where to send any kit you can are on the website, www.g4g.co.uk. anything at all wil be very gratefully recieved, cant thank you enough.

Been watching nature doc's about the congo this weekend. There was a lot of footage of the gorillas which gives a fantastic insight into their life and behaviour.

There was also a feature on the native people, and their lifestyle. It was fantastic, they're life hasnt changed in thousands of years. It was awesome to see them repairing the huge vine bridge and some trapping techniques as well as the myths and fears - and the similarities to our own culture. Their life style was humbling. Apparently new evidence places them as possibly the oldest peoples on the planet, i'd love to see a full detailed account of their skills and medicines. It was fascinating, catch it if you can, think its on uk doc.

 

[Zodiak]

Would any of the following be of use?

pcmcia "Gold Card" modem and cable
cannon parrallel port scanner
netgear print server
D-Link 8 port utp+1bnc10Mbps hub (2 off)
HP Deskwriter 320 printer (no battery)
5.25" *50 speed CD Reader

I was about t check them out before listing on e-bay but if you want them they are yours.

Update: I should be able to get some network cables, keyboards and mice if they are of use.

 

[Silverback]

How can I not donate to this given my handle and lifelong passion - I will have a good trawl through and send anything I don't need and maybe some things I do

 

[hammock monkey]

Would any of the following be of use?

pcmcia "Gold Card" modem and cable
cannon parrallel port scanner
netgear print server
D-Link 8 port utp+1bnc10Mbps hub (2 off)
HP Deskwriter 320 printer (no battery)
5.25" *50 speed CD Reader

I was about t check them out before listing on e-bay but if you want them they are yours.

Update: I should be able to get some network cables, keyboards and mice if they are of use.

I reckon they'd use some of it, if not all. Its very generous of you, if you dont mind posting it i'm sure an ape somewhere will be eternally grateful!

 

[hammock monkey]

just seen that Gearing up for Gorilla's (G4G) have a stained glass panel on ebay of a gorilla, looks really nice (not always easy to photograph - like knives!) and as ALL the money goes to getting the rangers out there some essential kit then it's all good. Bit of class for christmas prezzie for someone, and the world is a slightly better place for it... got to be better than the usual 'land-fill in waiting' stuff we're usually expected to blow our hard earned on! I've got a fox panel made by this lasy, and everyday i see it i absolutely love it. Hopefully, when i have kids it'll be something they have and pass on too. feels good.
all the best

here's the link:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=280051383948&rd=1&rd=1

 

[WhichDoctor]

Well it looks like these guys will be a little less short of binoculars after this , I've got at least one pear of big ones I don't need somewhere as well.

They are such brave and dedicated people protecting such amazing creatures how could anyone say no.