A local association leading the fight against drinking and driving co-founded by Camille Gottlieb, Be Safe Monaco, has an angel in designer Elena Sivoldaeva, who graciously donated a car to be used to safely escort revellers home after nights out on the town.

Be Safe Monaco was created in 2017 by five women who lost a friend to a tragic drink driving accident. Daughter of Princess Stephanie Camille Gottlieb, Charlotte Marsan, Andrea Puzar, Laura Dias, and Margaux Grundstein have since made it their business to ensure no one need get behind the wheel of a vehicle in Monaco while under the influence of alcohol.

The programme runs free shuttle services during weekends in the summer months, distributes breath analyser tests, and offers lessons in awareness, and has saved countless people from making a major mistake that could land them in jail, or worse.

In 2020, the Mairie donated a shuttle bus to the organisation and, after two years of pandemic and tough times, they are now receiving the gift of another vehicle, this time from high-end designer Elena Sivoldaeva.

Sivoldaeva’s talents are far-reaching and include the creation of jewellery, furniture, accessories, clothing, objet d’art for interiors and pieces to enhance landscapes. She is also no stranger to the art of giving back and has donated Covid testing machines to the city of San Remo, been part of the construction of prefabricated modules used at a school in that same town, and is a fixture at many of Monaco’s glittering charity events and galas.

The electric van she bestowed is now a part of the fleet of vehicles and will be vital in preventing road accidents that cost lives. To date, 265 people have used the service and this summer, with Covid bans and restrictions lifted, Be Safe Monaco anticipates a big uptick in usage.

For more info on Be Safe, including how it works and how to make a donation, visit the website on https://besafemonaco.mc/en/

Photo by Frédéric Nebinger, Prince’s Palace