11:50am Sunday 29th March 2009
By Joanna Kilvington
While most people will be gobbling down chocolate eggs on Easter weekend, a team of world record breakers will be setting off on a 4,000-mile charity rally to the poorest country in Europe.
Travelling in six cars, the team of 12 will be driving across Europe to Moldova, via the Arctic Circle and Russia, in the hope of raising 1m leu for disadvantaged children in Moldova – the equivalent of £48,000.
Andy Walker, 26, from Bedford Park, Chiswick, will be taking part in the three-week adventure, hoping to make it all the way in a donated Nissan Bluebird.
The cars used in the journey, which include a Volvo, a Saab and a three wheel Reliant Rialto, have all cost less then £200, and will be given to the charities Children on the Edge and Moldova Ministries at the end of the journey.
Named the Snowdodgers Rally, the team will be waved off by friends and family as they set off from Hyde Park Corner on Easter Saturday.
On their journey, they hope to check out the Northern lights in Rovaniemi, visit the Kremlin at Moscow’s Red Square and build the odd snowman along the way.
Mr Walker said: “I’m feeling a little bit apprehensive. It was all good when it was three months away, but now it’s just three weeks.
"I feel quite confident about my car, but we have two people in each car in case anyone breaks down. The three-wheeler only does a maximum of 60 miles per hour.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the Northern lights and visiting Russia – it’s so different from anywhere I’ve ever been. I’ve brought a CD to try and learn Russian but haven’t got far.”
Once in Moldova, the team will spend a few days with the charities visiting orphanages to see how their donations will help.
To raise awareness and money for the trip, the team set a new Guinness world record last Saturday after squeezing 14 people, including an innocent bystander, into the Reliant van.
This was followed by an after-party and charity auction at the fittingly named Old Explorer pub, in Oxford Circus.
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