Crowds expected to greet children's convoy
Anne Gould Thousands of people are expected to line the roads between Norwich and Yarmouth on Sunday for the annual East Coast Truckers' children's convoy.
Anne Gould
Thousands of people are expected to line the roads between Norwich and Yarmouth on Sunday for the annual East Coast Truckers' children's convoy.
More than 80 trucks will be gathering at County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, ready to take 82 disadvantaged children for a day out at the Pleasurewood Hills theme park at Corton, near Lowestoft.
The trucks, travelling with a police escort, will then take the children along Yarmouth's Golden Mile before returning them to Norwich.
The event, now in its 23rd year, is aimed at giving the youngsters a day out to remember and spectators are encouraged to turn out to wave from vantage points along the route.
Convoy director Glenn Johnson, who founded the charity with his wife Mary, will be leading the column of trucks in his distinctive white and gold Renault Magnum.
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“We're hoping for a dry day, but the essential thing is that people turn out and wave in their thousands. It's the public that really makes this event,” he said.
“The children love the noise and excitement, and so do us big children. Each child is adopted for the day by a driver's family. Some of the drivers form long-lasting bonds with the children and their families. It's a special day, and one we look forward to all year.”
The convoy is due to depart from County Hall at 10am and will travel to via River Green at Thorpe to join the A47 at 10.30am.
It will then proceed along the A47, where there are plenty of observation points along the bridges. At 11.15am it will turn right onto Breydon Bridge, arriving at Pleasurewood Hills at midday, and leaving at 5.15pm.
Then the convoy will proceed to Yarmouth seafront at the power station end via the Haven Bridge, passing the Marina Centre and on to the Britannia Pier at about 6pm.
Turning left at the Iron Duke, the convoy will rejoin the A47 and make its way back to County Hall arriving about 7.30pm for the presentations and winding-up ceremony.
