NEWS
FreelanderSpecialist.com joins effort to provide medical support for Ukrainian defence force
T
he war in Ukraine has brought forth many stories of heroism over the last year, and of incredible acts of compassion shown towards the nation by people in Britain and all around the world. In the 4x4 world, the extraordinary efforts of Gordon Jackson-Hopps, a building surveyor from Norfolk, have seen him delivery humanitarian supplies, ferry refugees across the country, deliver children to relatives and help evacuate vulnerable civilian to neighbouring Romania. Most recently, Gordon launched Operation Freelander – a project whose goal is to deliver a dozen vehicles to the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Force, which will use them to move casualties and aid. Each of the dozen Land Rover Freelanders needs to be sourced, prepared and
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equipped for use before being driven across Europe – with the first two being delivered just before Christmas by Gordon himself and Sue Maddock of FreelanderSpecialist.com. Based in Methwold, Norfolk, Freelander Specialist is a family company which has become known for its expertise in everything to do with Land Rover’s original baby SUV – parts, service, repairs, mods, you name it. The company’s own expedition-prepped Freelander 1 is a self-propelled example of the potential within these vehicles, too. As well as being part of the driving team, Freelander Specialist’s involvement in the project has seen it donate two 2004 Freelander Estates along with the time and knowledge required to check them over prior to being delivered to Ukraine.
However it is just one of several businesses to help make Operation Freelander happen. Bell Engineering donated new VCUs for the vehicles, Euro Car Parts helped out with spares and Camskill supplied the vehicles’ tyres – which were then fitted by Graham Gillis Autos in King’s Lynn. Speaking from the road across Europe, Sue also praised Nobert, Ngwenya and Mihai, ‘who have worked tirelessly to make sure these Freelanders can not only make the journey to Ukraine but can then perform their duties to save precious lives’, and Gordon’s wife Vicki – ‘who, even as we are driving, has been raising money to cover our fuel and costs.’ The driving itself started on 17 December, with an early ferry crossing followed by a marathon 16-hour journey to Krakow in Poland. ‘The sudden
4x4 14/01/2023 17:55
