Students gear up for 10,000-mile charity road trip
SIX Cambridge University students are gearing up for the road trip of a lifetime, which will see them traverse mountains and cross the desert to reach their final destination of Mongolia.
Clare College students Tim Beeson-Jones, Tom Breeze, Chris Cavanagh, Tanmay Jain, Jonny Sole and Will Wynell-Mayow – all aged 21 – will set off from West Sussex on July 14 in a vehicle they have yet to acquire, to make the 10,000-mile journey.
In five weeks they plan to cross seven time zones and 12 countries.
The students will be competing in the annual Mongol Rally which, to date, has raised £2 million for charity and supported Mongolian outreach projects with the race organisers boosting funds by auctioning off each team’s vehicle at the end of the race.
The 300 participating teams can choose their own route and the six Clare College students have each chosen charities – including Cambridge’s Arthur Rank Hospice – between which they plan to split their target sponsorship of £10,000.
They are now targeting businesses to help cover the costs of buying a people carrier and enough fuel to cross Europe, Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan, before reaching their final destination of Ulaanbataar, Mongolia in August.
Will, a medical student and a member of Cambridge University Officers’ Training Corps, said: “Once we’ve left Europe the large majority of the journey will be across deserts and mountains. We have a couple of engineering students on the team, which might be useful with the vehicle.
“I think we have got to be a bit handy as well as needing a bit of luck and a big hammer.”
With a camping stove in the back, the group will sleep in tents where possible and inside their vehicle in urban areas.
Will said they decided to form a larger team to share driving and petrol costs, but it will mean they need a people carrier as opposed to a regular car.
“I knew some people who completed the rally in a big fire engine, which sounded fun, but it turned out to cost an absolute fortune and things got completely out of hand,” he said.
“Most of us have lived together at some point but it’s going to get quite cosy for five weeks being in a van together.
“No doubt there will be some bickering but we have chosen the group carefully and think we will work well together.”
To sponsor the team, visit www.gomongol.co.uk
Do you know a community champion? Tell us about them at cambridgefirst@archant.co.ukc
Clare College students Tim Beeson-Jones, Tom Breeze, Chris Cavanagh, Tanmay Jain, Jonny Sole and Will Wynell-Mayow – all aged 21 – will set off from West Sussex on July 14 in a vehicle they have yet to acquire, to make the 10,000-mile journey.
In five weeks they plan to cross seven time zones and 12 countries.
The students will be competing in the annual Mongol Rally which, to date, has raised £2 million for charity and supported Mongolian outreach projects with the race organisers boosting funds by auctioning off each team’s vehicle at the end of the race.
The 300 participating teams can choose their own route and the six Clare College students have each chosen charities – including Cambridge’s Arthur Rank Hospice – between which they plan to split their target sponsorship of £10,000.
They are now targeting businesses to help cover the costs of buying a people carrier and enough fuel to cross Europe, Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan, before reaching their final destination of Ulaanbataar, Mongolia in August.
Will, a medical student and a member of Cambridge University Officers’ Training Corps, said: “Once we’ve left Europe the large majority of the journey will be across deserts and mountains. We have a couple of engineering students on the team, which might be useful with the vehicle.
“I think we have got to be a bit handy as well as needing a bit of luck and a big hammer.”
With a camping stove in the back, the group will sleep in tents where possible and inside their vehicle in urban areas.
Will said they decided to form a larger team to share driving and petrol costs, but it will mean they need a people carrier as opposed to a regular car.
“I knew some people who completed the rally in a big fire engine, which sounded fun, but it turned out to cost an absolute fortune and things got completely out of hand,” he said.
“Most of us have lived together at some point but it’s going to get quite cosy for five weeks being in a van together.
“No doubt there will be some bickering but we have chosen the group carefully and think we will work well together.”
To sponsor the team, visit www.gomongol.co.uk
Do you know a community champion? Tell us about them at cambridgefirst@archant.co.ukc
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