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Intrepid fundraiser on trip of a lifetime

Sam Kirby
12/ 6/2008

A WHITEFIELD man will have the adventure of a lifetime as he drives his ‘old banger’ 10,000 miles from London to Mongolia.

Matthew Lees, 26, from Wingate Drive, is preparing for a mammoth expedition, driving his 16-year-old Nissan Micra across a third of the world for charity.

The epic trip is part of the official Mongolian Charity Rally, organised by an organisation called Go Help, and will see 26-year-old Matthew and his one litre, silver Micra join over 80 cars as they attempt to navigate their way across a third of the world’s surface.

Matthew said: "It’s a once in a lifetime thing and I want to test myself through some of the harshest, most uninhabitable environments in the world and succeed. I want an adventure and stories to tell.

"You don’t have to sit on a beach for a three week holiday."

The expedition begins on July 5 after a traditional Naadam festival with London’s Mongolian community laying on fermented mare’s milk, music, and a crash course in traditional wrestling and archery.

Matthew’s trip will take him up to four weeks, through 11 countries: France, Belgium, Germany, Czech-Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan; Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia.

Travelling alone, the ex-Philip High School pupil is unfazed.

"It wont be easy and I’m not kidding myself," he said.

"Maps, mechanics and manners will all play a part, as well as determination.

"I will ingratiate myself to local communities and depend on the good will and patience of many different cultures."

The money raised will be split between the Cambridge Mongolian Disaster Appeal, the Five Star Scanner Appeal and The Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Matthew has already raised £1,500.

After the trip the car will be auctioned in Mongolia with proceeds donated to the Children’s Development Protection Fund.

Matthew is trying to raise sponsorship from local businesses to help cover the cost of fuel and equipment, in return for free world-wide advertising on his car.

Anyone interested in supporting Matthew can email him on: lmatthew@hotmail.co.uk.