A Bristol property director and a Bristol GP are preparing to undertake a 2,000 mile cycle ride from Bristol to Sofia to raise funds for a new medical centre in Bulgaria.
Richard Taylor, who’s a Senior Director at GVA Health in Bristol, and Dr Mark Corcoran, who’s a GP Christchurch Family Medical Centre in Downend, are planning the trip with the charity Bulgarian Partners Trust (www.bulgarianpartners.org).
They estimate the trip will take 28 days, and are hoping to raise £40,000 to go towards medical equipment for the centre, as well as ongoing day to day running costs. The centre is contained within a social enterprise facility located in a six storey building which was started in 2004 by the charity, and whilst other functions are well on their way to reality, the medical centre remains an empty shell.
The pair will be supported on their trip by a support vehicle, which will be left in Sofia for use by the medical centre.
Richard Taylor explains, “One in four households in Bulgaria live under the poverty line, and one in six people have no access to even the most basic of healthcare benefits – something that we all take for granted here in the UK.
“This purpose built building in the heart of Sofia will provide services to the poor and underprivileged in Sofia, including education and nutrition advice, medical services, a job centre and a church. The top two storeys are being let out as commercial offices. The building is a social enterprise model and has been designed to enable income generating activities to subsidise social outreach, thus enabling the project to be self supporting once completed.
Richard continues, “One in ten Bulgarians have no access to medical care, 40% cannot afford it. The Bulgarian health system only covers 55% of the cost of medical services which leaves medical care out of the reach of many Bulgarians living in poverty. The vision we are hoping to help realise is to provide ongoing medical care at a nominal charge to those who otherwise would not receive it.
“Our goal of £40,000 will enable the empty shell to be equipped and fitted out by the Bulgarian Partners Trust.”
Anyone wishing to support Richard and Mark can do so by visiting http://cyclingtosofia.wordpress.com/