The BBC Children in Need appeal is one of the UK’s most popular charities. Every year people donate thousands of pounds towards a worthy cause. Dan Handley and Dave Brooks, two resisdents of Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, have pledged to raise money by going on an epic road trip. The duo set off on August 12th in a sixteen-year-old Toyota Yaris, with them planning to travel through 20 different countries on the way to Tokyo.
The Japan journey has been on the cards for Dan and Dave for some time. They’ve been able to accomplish their goal through winning the 2017 Motor-Vision Awards. The two of them work together at Toyota specialists Fensport Performance in Chatteris, so the Yaris is an appropriate vehicle.
Dan and Dave chose the Yaris because they wanted a reliable car that could be easily repaired if necessary. The 2002 Yaris comes with a 1.5-litre petrol engine and it was bought with a donation from the Toyota dealership. A spokesperson from Toyota summed the purchase up. “They chose the Yaris as a car they knew well, and which would be easily repairable should they encounter any problems. They have sourced a 16-year-old five-door model, powered by a punchy 1.5-litre petrol engine and costing just £1000.”
The duo plan to reach Tokyo by October 5th 2018. Once they’ve arrived they’ll spend a week exploring Japan’s car culture by visiting garages and race circuits. Instead of staying in a hotel the drivers will camp outside. After all the excitement, Dan and Dave plan on returning to the UK on October 12th, with the Yaris being transported home via a ship. The eight-week excursion will see the duo pass through Turkey, eastern Russia and then on to South Korea.
It’s expected the Toyota Yaris will average around 260 miles and the lads will need to drive for at least five hours a day. Dan and Dave’s progress can be tracked at Chatteris2Tokyo and all the money raised will go towards BBC Children in Need.
