Mad-Cap Rally Adventure to Raise $20,000 for the Graeme Dingle Foundation

Monday, 3rd July 2017

What do driving a rust-bucket across Central Asia for three months and raising money for Kiwi kids have in common?

Usually, one would say not much, but this month, eight friends will hop into two ‘dreadfully inappropriate cars’ and attempt to drive halfway across the planet in the name of charity and adventure.

“The Coddiwomples” (as they are aptly named, meaning “To travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination…") are driving 20,000 kilometres from London to Mongolia to raise funds for the Graeme Dingle Foundation.

The Graeme Dingle Foundation aims to inspire all school age New Zealand children, like those at Maraeroa School in Porirua, to build resilience, self-belief and help them overcome the odds
through programmes that build self-esteem, promote good values, and teach valuable life, education, and health skills.

Sam Anastasiou, Harry Cunningham, Josh McIvor, Hugo Stephens, Roy McKee, Seb Dennis, Nathan Thomas and Richard Parsonsonhave left their respectable day jobs as lawyers, doctors and aesthetes , and compete in the Mongol Rally - a three-month adventure rally race which will see them traverse some of the most inhospitable driving terrain on the planet.

Spokesperson Sam Anastasiou says they’ll travel half the circumference of the earth in two clapped-out Ford Fiestas (kindly donated by John Andrew Ford) across more than 25 Central Asian countries, including Georgia, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia.

“There are a few hiccups along the way, such as an election in Iran (as absurd as that sounds), and we’ll be having to vote for the next New Zealand government from the plains of Southern Russia, but other than that, it should be plain sailing,” Sam laughs.

A Givealittle fundraising page has been set up to funnel donations raised over the course of the race straight to the Graeme Dingle Foundation. Sam says that the aim is to get a dollar donated for every kilometer they travel.

“Absolutely every single dollar donated on this page will go direct to the Graeme Dingle Foundation. Their important work helps vulnerable Kiwi kids get the best start at life, and it’s a cause that we are all passionate about,” says Sam.

The boys are putting their money (or courage) where their mouths are, offering some great, additional incentives to donate.

“We decided we could take on some personalised challenges[i] while we are away if it means raising some extra cash, and frankly, we’re open to any other suggestions (either silly or dangerous) for the right price,” concludes Sam.

The Coddiwomples will leave New Zealand early July to begin preparations in the U.K. ahead of launch day on Sunday 16 July.

You can follow their exploits at http://coddiwomples.com/ (where you’ll find links to Facebook and Instagram videos) and donate, please visit https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/gdf-coddiwomples

ENDS

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