David Garlick and his wife, Anna, have dedicated their lives to helping a community in need in Ecuador.

But to enable them to do their work, they need funds.

As David was trapped back home in Kirby-le-Soken when the coronavirus pandemic hit, he decided to put his time to good use....raising funds for the project on the other side of the world.

He has travelled through the alphabet to locations far and wide. Here is his story.

BE it a dream wedding on a tropical island, a major football tournament, or even one’s ability to purchase toilet roll, there is not much that the coronavirus lockdown has not slammed to a halt.

But for one Good Samaritan, who provides humanitarian help to families in small South American towns, the pandemic is not an excuse to stop vital work.

For Dave Garlick, it has offered up an opportunity to adapt and rethink how support for those in need can continue even when operating in the nucleus of the issue is an impossibility.

Mr Garlick, who grew up in Frinton, moved to Ecuador in 2006, with his Ecuadorian wife, Anna, who he had married in 1999 after the pair met in London.

His relocation to the diverse landscape came after years of working in churches, specifically the Frinton Gospel Chappel, where the devote Christian would help the town’s youth.

In more recent years, this unparalleled impulse to help others has culminated in both him and Anna establishing their own independent foundation, Mano & Mano.

Reliant on donations, the couple have spent the past 14 years aiding the development of a small town just outside the Ecuadorian capital.

Currently, the project sees the dedicated duo attempt to build a new basketball court, two new classrooms and a fresh toilet in the area but they need £120,000 in order to make it happen.

“It is a Christian-based project and we wanted it to demonstrate the love of God in practise,” said Mr Garlick.

“By being out there such a long time, you build relationships with people, and it isn’t just a flash in the pan and then you’re gone.”

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The prospect of the project being completed, however, was dealt a significant blow when the world imploded.

At the time, Mr Garlick had popped home to visit his mum in Kirby-le-Soken and to host a series of fundraising events.

But, his plans were scuppered by the lockdown and the travel ban also meant he could not return to Ecuador, where Anna remained, to help locals there cope with the pandemic.

“This year, I came back for what was supposed to be a short visit, but I then got caught up with all the virus restrictions so I am still here,” he said.

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“My wife and I have had to also spend the last few months apart, unfortunately, but there is nothing we can do.”

Determined not to let the crisis suppress his untameable drive to do good, Mr Garlick set himself what he has called the A to Z Bike Challenge, to help raise further funds for his Ecuador project.

Starting in July, the ambitious idea saw Mr Garlick cycle to a different place, starting with a different letter of the alphabet, every day.

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While at each location, he would also try to eat a different food beginning with a different letter of the alphabet as well.

Other people were also encouraged to join in by embarking on sponsored walks, bike rides or runs.

Having passed through the likes of Clacton, Ipswich, and Kelvedon, Mr Garlick eventually concluded at Colchester Zoo, before heading back to Kirby-le-Soken, where he was greeted by a throng of cheering friends and family.

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“It wasn’t a sense of feeling helpless, it was about making the most of the opportunity and the main thing was to get other people involved,” he said.

“So, while I was here, I thought I would do something to raise money for the project.

“Some journeys were short and others were a lot longer but it was all a lot of fun.

“And when I finished there were a lot of friends all waiting and it was a really lovely welcome.”

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It is still unknown when Mr Garlick, who has previously walked to Wembley as part of a fundraiser, will be reunited with his wife, or be able to get hands-on again with their project for the people Ecuador.

But, if one thing is for certain, it is that his enforced, four-month sabbatical, is the equivalent of a mere refreshment break in what still remains a long journey.

“Many, many other people have helped to raise funds as well for this project, not just me, and they deserve a mention,” he added.

“We still have loads and loads to raise. But we will do what we can with what money we have and we will keep optimistic.”

To donate email davidjGarlick15@hotmail.co.uk.