7:00am Sunday 4th July 2010
By Mike Wilkinson
Two brothers from a Corsham farm are to travel 10,000 miles to Mongolia in three old cars.
Freddie Weaver, 20, and his 18-year-old brother Rupert, from New Farm, off Lacock Road, are embarking on the Mongol Rally on July 24 with four friends.
They hope to raise £5,000 for Mercy Corps, which helps to change the lives of rural nomadic people in Mongolia, and the Gurkha Welfare Trust.
The idea of the rally is to use an unsuitable vehicle along an adventurous route and the friends will drive three ten-year-old Suzuki Swifts.
The cars, identical so that spares from one can be used to mend another, have been painted and serviced at their farm, which has been in the family since 1882.
The adventure will take them through Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and, finally, Mongolia.
Freddie, an engineering student at the University of Bristol, said: “We hope to arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the capital, in around five or six weeks.
“It is a great opportunity to do something completely different and I’ve always wanted a real adventure.”
Brother Rupert said: “I would say we are better prepared than many teams who do the rally. It makes you wonder just how some of them reach the starting line.”
The men will film their journey which starts at the Goodwood motor racing circuit, near Chichester, West Sussex.
Father Paul Weaver said: “I have resigned to the idea of them going out there but I can see the hardship and difficulties that they will have to endure.”
Mum Susie said: “Obviously I’m concerned but all I can do is back them up. I think they are quite mad.”
Donations have already passed £4,400. For more information visit www.yaktothefuture.co.uk.
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