Hi - and firstly thanks for looking at my fundraising page. Please dig deep to support a brilliant cause, even if you can only donate 50p!

As for our challenge - You may have heard of the Paris-Dakar rally. A race which costs thousands of pounds to compete in, and doesn't really do much for the countries it visits.

Our challenge is the Plymouth-Dakar Rally (well, we're starting in Derby and actually finishing in Timbuktu).
The rules of the rally are -
1) Cars must cost no more than £100
2) No more than £15 must be spent on preparation
3) Cars and contents are to be auctioned in Timbuktu with the proceeds going to local charities.

We plan to set off from Derby, make it through France & Spain in a day each, then it's Morocco, onto the Western Sahara (plenty of digging and minefields!), Mauritania and Mali. The rally is completely unsupported. If we get into any bother such as breakdowns, getting lost, border crossings - we're on our own. There are no teams of mechanics, support trucks or medics on hand to help us out of a predicament.

We would also appreciate donations of schoolbooks, pencils etc to donate to local villages.

As the car/tent/whatever else we can scrounge etc will be going to African charities, some local support for an incredibly important service, the MRI, would sincerely appreciate your donations. They do a fantastic job, and you never know when you or a loved one might need them.

Please visit our corresponding websites

http://www.maritime-rescue-institute.org/

And to follow our progress......

http://dustycrusties.wordpress.com/

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Maritime Rescue Institute will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now!

Many thanks for your support.