As reported in the Bo'ness Journal on Friday 19 August Amazon Hope 2 made a special visit to Bo'ness today (Sunday 21 August).

The visit is part of its preparations before leaving this coming Friday for Dundee on its journey round the UK.

Amazon Hope 2 arriving at Harbour

The ex naval vessel is the second The Vine Trust, founded in Bo'ness, has converted to help bring hope and healthcare to people living in isolated parts of Peru.

The Vine Trust

The Vine Trust and its volunteers have been working in partnership with local people in Peru for more than 10 years and focus their efforts in three river areas. This enabling tehm to return every four months to each area and are able to provide a meaningful health service for to up to 100,000 people.

Fight against world's biggest killer

The Vine Trust project takes malaria and immunisation teams on each trip, helping the fight against one of the world's biggest killers, and improving the immunisation uptake of the children in these remote communities.

It's aim is to bring health education, dental and medical programmes to these area providing significantly improvements in overall health care.

The provision of clean water and sanitation facilities is another important area it is planned to tackle.

Service of Thanksgiving

On arriving and before the gathered visitors were given the opportunity of boarding the ship the Rev. Albert Bogle of St Andrew's Church in Bo'ness led a Service of Thanksgiving for the work of the trust.

On board exhibition

Visitors to the ship will be able to view an onboard exhibition about the work with street children, the medical work tarted by the first Amazon Hope ship and micro enterprise projects. The new craft will act as a medical centre, fitted out with an operating theatre, medical and dental surgery and pharmacy.

Visitors will also hear of opportunities to work on short-term medical and work teams in Peru.

Opportunity to visit the ship

The Amazon Hope 2 made the short trip to Bo'ness from Queensferry where it will be berthed until August 26.

Many school groups already plan to visit and she will be open to the public from tomorrow (Monday) and on Tuesday, August 22 and 23 from 3-9pm, and Wednesday and Thursday, August 23 and 24, 3-7pm.