Three OPs and two friends set out on 11,000 mile journey to raise money for charity.

Three OPs in their mid-60s - Geoff Popple, Nicholas Vaudrey and David Keith-Welsh (all of whom left the NCP in 1962) - together with Jonathan Vaudrey from Melbourne, Australia, and Anthony Kent from Cape Town, South Africa, set off on an epic journey through Europe and Africa from the College parade ground on Sunday morning January 31st.

The trip in two Land Cruisers will take the group four months to complete and will involve driving through France, Italy, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa. All being well, the five expect to arrive at Cape Argulhas (the southernmost point in Africa) by May 31. The Land Cruisers are carrying Devitt & Moore house flags. 

Two charities will be benefiting from the journey - the College's Network with Notes appeal which to date has raised more than £1.5 million to build a Music/IT centre at Pangbourne; and the Red Cross hospital for children in Cape Town. Donations may be made to either or both charities through the JustGiving website. More than £1,200 had been donated before the expedition left the College.

More than 30 supporters were at the College on an icy Sunday morning to speed the group on its way. Afterwards everyone moved down to The Swan in the village for a convivial pub lunch before waving the Land Cruisers on their way.

Among the 1962 leavers present (many with spouses) were Richard & Ian Shuttleworth, James Allenby, Colin Miller, Mike Palmer, AJS Herbert, Anthony Sainthill, Tony Morrow, Andrew Scott-Priestley, James Baxter, Julian Biggs, Barry Jerman, Andrew Moore and Richard Givan. Robin Knight, president of the OP Society, handed over the house flags to the team.

Photos of the departure from the parade ground can be viewed in the Gallery section of this website. The group's progress may be followed on its website  www.pangbourneafrica.co.za