New Forest lads driving to Ulan Bator (From Bournemouth Echo)

New Forest lads driving to Ulan Bator

12:42pm Thursday 11th June 2009 in

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THREE friends are revving up for the rally of a lifetime.

They are going to drive a Kia Rio 1.3 litre family saloon from Goodwood 10,000 miles across country to Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia in aid of charity.

Matt Kendall, 26, and 23-year-olds Sam Gilbert and Tom Richmond, from Ringwood, will be raising money for the Children and Young People’s Protection and Development charity, which helps young Mongolians.

And when they get to their destination, their car will be sold to make more charity cash.

But they have got to get there first. They set off on July 18 for Belgium and then Prague in the Czech Republic where they will meet up with other Mongol Rally teams. From there they will travel east through Slovakia, Moldova, the Ukraine, Russia, Kazakstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, back into Russia and then onto Mongolia, ideally arriving on August 18.

Matt works as a manager in a photographic shop, Sam is a marine carpenter and Tom is a multi-skilled technician, who it is hoped will be able to keep the car going.

There are no prizes at the end, only pride at having beaten the odds.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to countries that we’ll never have the need to go to again,” said Matt.

Anyone who wants to sponsor the team and get their name on the car should contact teamdontstop@hotmail.com or call Matt on 07590 217057.