University of Leicester student to embark on Mongolian adventure

A fourth year Chemistry undergraduate from the University of Leicester is set to undergo a gruelling 10,000 mile trek to raise money for charity by taking part in the 2010 Mongolia Charity Rally.

Starting in London on July 10 at the Mongolian Naadam Festival, Luka Wright and two peers will set out on the adventure of a lifetime, with the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, their final destination. The rally is run by UK registered charity Go Help and is hoping to top last year’s success when a whopping £60,726.14 was raised from the 36 groups who took part.

Luka commented:

“The Mongolia Charity Rally has a long history of success in delivering useful materials and vehicles to Mongolia and we hope to be a part of maintaining that tradition. We intend on driving the 10,000 miles east to Mongolia, through Russia and Kazakhstan, to achieve our mission.

“Team Lost Transit is aiming to raise a minimum of £1,500 to be split between various different charities, which include a new Child Centre for street children and a Rehabilitation and Education Centre for children in Ulaanbaatar.”

Luka will be joined by Luke Wilson and Bill Elliott, for team Lost InTransit who will also be delivering gifts and supplies along the way, culminating in the donation of their vehicle at the end of their adventure, to a suitable cause in Mongolia. Previously, vehicles have been converted into ambulances or used by charities to charter materials throughout the country.

He said:

“As well as this, we intend on delivering old corrective glasses to people who would not otherwise have access to them and we will also take ‘shoe box’ gifts donated by schoolchildren in the UK, which we will distribute to underprivileged children that we meet on our journey.”

Sadly Luka’s participation in the charity rally will mean he will have to forego attending his graduation ceremony this summer which is due to take place just as he is getting ready to embark on his Mongolian adventure. Professor Paul Cullis, Head of Organic and Biological Chemistry at the University of Leicester’s Department of Chemistry commented:

“If I had to guess which of our students would forgo graduation to drive over 9000 miles to the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, over potholes and through bandit country no doubt, it would be Luka! Despite recently having had surgery on his back he is going to face this spine-jarring ordeal with his usual good humour and we are all hoping that Lost In Transit manages to raise its £1,500 target for charity.”

The Mongolia Charity Rally is setting off from London on July 10 where Luka, Luke and Bill will travel almost 10,000 miles to make it to the Mongolian capital, all in aid of charity. For more information about the rally, click here www.mongolia.charityrallies.co.uk and to make a donation, visit Team Lost Transit’s Just Giving page here, www.justgiving.com/lostintransit.