These UEA students are travelling 8000 miles in a Nissan Micra for MIND UK

She’s called Mildred the Micra


Five UEA students are driving over 8,000 miles in a Nissan Micra to raise money for the mental health charity MIND.

Third years Luke Phillips, Will Vickers and Luke Dexter, masters student Josh Meling and graduate Ed Nabbs will set out on their journey on the 11th June. Their task in hand is based on the ‘Mongol rally’, an event which sees teams travels thoudands of miles across Europe and Asia in reliable and sturdy cars such as the teams own Nissan Micra, Mildred, in the name of charity. Unfortunately, “due to Grad week, and just ease, we’re doing it a month before”, Luke told us.

“Around Christmas is probably when we started taking it proper seriously”, Josh told us. Taking it seriously will be paramount, as the five of them will travel across 8,500 miles, 15 countries, and will complete the round trip in only five weeks.

Mildred the Micra may have a bonnet that won’t properly shut and a bumper held together with cable ties, but the team is well prepared as Josh has given the old banger a few new features: “We going to fix some sweet spotlights and add loads of stickers from sponsors”, he told us.

Donations are going to MIND UK – a charity which resonates with all of the boys “As the biggest killer of males our age is suicide”, said Luke, “and MIND UK deals with mental health issues. I think with that current statue put up at UEA people have started a small discussion on the topic already.

“We won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect.”

Mildred the Micra- possibly the best looking car ever made

Josh explains then the ultimate goal of the expedition is to address an issue which doesn’t get the attention it deserves at UEA: “Union officers constantly use it [mental health services] as a campaign selling point but very little action [is taken], whereas what we’re doing should have a direct impact on improving mental health services whilst starting a conversation about it where it may not have occurred before.”

I asked the team if they thought the rally could become an annual event for the pair to which Josh, forever brutally honest, said: “It would be great if more UEA people got involved. It takes some guts to travel all that way in shite cars, without anyone who knows how to fix them.” Considering that the guys were looking up Youtube videos on “How to fix a car radiator”, it looks like they will need all the help they can get on their intercontinental journey.

To donate to the team’s cause you can click here, and you can find out more about their adventure from the pair by clicking here.