The first convoy Slough 2 Gaza took part in, sending a car, a van and aid including clothes and medicine, was Viva Palestina's first convoy on February 14th 2009. It was an historic convoy. This was the largest convoy to cross North Africa from Britain since Montgomery's 8th army in WW2 and we were the first people to cross from Morocco to Algeria through the land border in 15 years. In just four weeks from forming to leaving, due to the public feeling over the Israeli war on Gaza at the beginning of the year, the convoy had amassed 110 vehicles, £1.5m worth of aid and around 260 volunteers for the journey. However due to what the convoy was in aid of very little was said in the national british press about it even happening.

The convoy was a great success as all but a couple of vehicles made the 5000 mile journey intact and everyone involved made it there and back in good health. Additionally in Lybia we gained an extra 100 lorries of aid donated by the Gadaffi Foundation. However when we neared the Rafah crossing the Egyptian authorities tried to remove all items from the convoy that were deemed non-medical or non-personal citing "Egyptian border law" as the reason. Suffice to say the Egyptian authorities failed to remove a lot of the banned items from the convoy. Unfortunately the boat and 30 year old fire engine that were part of the convoy were denied access and the trucks from Lybia were diverted through Israel.

Fire Engine Leaving London                                                       The Boat in Algeria