Legs4Africa
 | |
| Formation | 12 March 2014 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Tom Williams |
| Founded at | United Kingdom |
| Type | Registered charity |
| Purpose | Minimise waste & maximise life |
| Headquarters | Arnesby, Leicestershire |
Budget | £570,000[1] |
| Website | legs4africa |
Legs4Africa is a British registered charity. It rescues unwanted prosthetic legs, [2] dismantles and services the components and ships them to sub-Saharan African countries such as Gambia, Ghana, Benin, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Liberia and Rwanda, where they can be modified and provided to amputees at no cost. It also works with existing services and communities to provide physical and emotional rehabilitation to African amputees.
It was founded in 2014 by Tom Williams; the registered address is in Arnesby, in Leicestershire.[3][4] In 2014, the charity raised £6000 with a Crowdfunder campaign.[5] In April 2014, Legs4Africa sent a van carrying about 500 used prosthetic legs to The Gambia.[6][4] They were donated to the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul, where prostheses were particularly needed for victims of land mines and diabetes.[6] Another 1000 were sent to The Gambia in January 2015[4] and in June 2016 about 500 were shipped to Tanzania.[7][2][8]
In 2022's December, the charity raised £20,000 to help amputees in Northern Ghana. It has rescued over 14,000 prosthetic legs.[9][10][11] During the 2023 King's New Year Honours, Tom Williams was awarded the Order of the British Empire.[12]
References[edit]
- ^ "Activities - how the charity spends its money".
- ^ a b Goodchild, Sophie (14 September 2016). "'Back on my feet': how artificial limbs can have a second life in Africa". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
- ^ "Charity Report". Charity Commission for England and Wales. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
- ^ a b c Mack, Tom (22 January 2015). "Legs4Africa ships another 1,000 artificial limbs to Africa". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
- ^ Marrins, Kirsty (5 December 2014). "From potato salad to prosthetic limbs: five offbeat charity crowdfunding campaigns". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
- ^ a b "Project collects 500 used prosthetic legs for Gambia". BBC News. 1 April 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
- ^ Miller, Tracey (15 April 2016). "Charity sends prosthetic legs from Bristol to Africa". BBC News. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
- ^ Flannagan, Emma (16 April 2016). "More than 500 prosthetic legs were counted in the street as charity sends them to Africa". Bristol Post. Retrieved 17 February 2017.[dead link]
- ^ "Bristol charity raises £20,000 in seven days to help African amputees". Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ^ "FOUNDER OF LEGS4AFRICA: 'WE GOT HIM WALKING AGAIN'". CARA SCOTT. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
- ^ "Legs4Africa take a trip around the country to collect donated prosthetic legs to be send[sic] to Africa". Courtney Sargent. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Founder of Legs4Africa recognised in King's New Year Honours". Kerigh Palmer. Retrieved 12 January 2023.