Waving off the Viva Palestina convoy was a powerful experience

110 vehicles plus a few more to keep them company on the first leg to Ramsgate took over an hour to leave the park (writes Terry Conway). The fire engine donated by the Fire Brigades Union led off the parade, followed by several of the ambulances while the most enthusiastic cheers from the crowd were for the one woman-only van.

Most vehicles displayed information as to where they had come from which ranged from Stirling in the case of one of the ambulances to Tyrone in the north of Ireland. The North West with their Phil Kaiserman column had the biggest single contingent, but Gloucester with three vehicles might have had the biggest turn out per head of population.

There were just under 250 people travelling in the mile long convoy when it left the park, and a similar number came to cheer them off. It had been a massive logistical operation to get thus far and it all went remarkably smoothly – at least on the surface.

A brief rally was addressed by Andrew Murray from the Stop the War Coalition, Tony Benn, George Galloway and Yvonne Ridley before we waved goodbye to those setting off on the 5000 mile journey of aid and solidarity

In four weeks the convoy has gone from a dream to a very concrete reality – with a boat for the fishermen of Gaza and a massive generator to mention only some of the most visible. The convoy has given a significant section of the solidarity movement a new focus.

Respect was central to the send-off and is clearly the main political force involved in the project which goes way beyond it.

Viva Palestina is still appealing for donations. Go to http://www.vivapalestina.org/donations.htm