An adventurous Marden woman is keeping her fingers crossed the credit crunch doesn't end her dreams of taking part in a high-profile global expedition lasting eight months. Alicia Proud was ecstatic last June when she came through a gruelling selection process to be chosen for an epic 25,000 mile drive from South Africa to the Arctic Circle.
But now the 24-year-old Pattenden Lane resident is fearful the once-in-a-lifetime voyage, scheduled to leave on April 5, will be postponed through lack of sponsorship as companies make cutbacks in the current economic climate. "We are struggling because of the sponsorship and the credit crunch," says Alicia.
Run by the charitable Africa Adventure Cape to Cape Foundation, the expedition will see 14 woman in five 4x4 vehicles travel from the southernmost point in Africa at Cape Agulhas to one of the most northerly points in Europe at Nordkap in Norway. The aim is to promote Africa as a tourist destination to a world audience, so the women will be collecting information on holiday destinations and reporting for television companies across the world.
Alicia, a sports coach at Hilden Grange School in Tonbridge, has lived in South Africa for the last five years where she has been coaching young people and working at an animal rescue centre. She heard about the project towards the end of her stay when she answered an advert calling for 14 fearless women.
Now she is back at home in Marden, Alicia's teammates have an advantage over her which means she must work even harder to find donations. "I am the only British participant," she says, "and everyone else is already down there. I need to raise funds just to get to the starting point."
A former student at Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School and West Kent College, Alicia is looking forward to the challenges of a trip which, although visiting such attractive and exotic destinations as Malawi, Mozambique and Zanzibar, could offer some dangers. "We go through Sudan and then have to catch a ferry to Egypt," she says. "The ferry only runs once a week and if we get the timing wrong we could be stranded in Sudan for seven days."
Once the party has reached northern Norway, they will then visit cities throughout mainland Europe and, finally, Britain to further publicise the foundation's work. This is perhaps the leg of the journey Alicia is looking forward to most.
"While I was in South Africa it was always one of my dreams to drive home," she says. "I'd love to do it and it's sort of coming true, which will be a real lifetime achievement."
Visit www.thisiskent.co.uk/links for a link to Africa Adventure Cape to Cape or send an email to Alicia on alibub@hotmail.com for further information on donations and sponsorship.
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