If it sounds like something from The Italian Job, that’s because it is.
Two Aberdeen men will head off from Edinburgh to Rome in a car which cost less than £350 as part of a charity fundraiser next weekend.
Andy Adam and Kyle Milne will travel via the Swiss Alps in a Mazda MX5 as part of the Rust 2 Rome challenge.
While the majority of participants will call it a day once they reach the Eternal City, the duo are attempting to get back to Aberdeen in 14 days – just to show how seriously they are taking it.
The car they will travel in has been painted by Mr Adam’s colleagues at Enermech and has been emblazoned with sponsorship stickers to give it a distinctive look.
Mr Adam explained how they got involved in the challenge.
The 26-year-old from Balmedie said: “I saw a few videos on YouTube and really wanted to enter the event, so I got the idea into Kyle’s head and we booked it.”
“We are intending to do Rome to Aberdeen in four days making the trip 14 days in total.
“This was to add a thrill factor and create a larger challenge and we hoped this would inspire people to donate more.
“It also showed we were willing to go the extra mile to raise money for ARCHIE.”
The funds will be used to refurbish two rooms at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital. Mr Adam’s daughter, Elise, spent some there after she was born and he now tries to muster funds for them whenever he can.
He added: “This motivated me to make a difference. I like to help the charity whenever I can.”
Claire Bush, head of fundraising for the Archie Foundation, has been delighted by the pair’s enterprise.
She said: “This sounds like an amazing trip, but quite a challenge.
“All those miles in an old car, then sleeping in a tent every night – they will be glad to get there.
“The money they raise will make a big difference towards refitting the parents’ accommodation, as part of our plans to make it [RACH] a world-class hospital for the sick children of today and tomorrow.
“We are very grateful to them both and look forward to welcoming them safely back to Aberdeen.”
The pair are close to reaching their target of £1,000 and donations can be made at:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mx5
