Next month will be one year since our friend Chris Velten last called home from Mali. This is an appeal to anyone who was travelling in Mali this time last year, or who plans to be there in the next few months to please read this email as you could help in the search to find him.

He was travelling in the footsteps of Mungo Park, the famous explorer, along the route of the Niger River. He last called home on 23 March from Kita in western Mali and then planned to travel on to Bamako and then the river, which he was follow all the way through to Nigeria. His family have been working hard over the past year to find out what has happened to him, and hope to send out a second search party next month.

Because of the nomadic culture in parts of Mali, and the rains that swell the river, it is possible some of the people that met Chris last year, living along the route he planned to take, had moved away during the time our last search was out there late last year. It is possible they are now back and so may have information to help us.

Please can I ask anyone travelling in the area to be our eyes and ears for news of Chris. Also, if anyone thinks they may have met Chris last year, please do get in touch. You can visit www.technicola.com/chris for more information and any help you can give us is hugely appreciated.

Travel safe
Vicky