Locals are known to have hearts of gold, doing things to raise money for the less fortunate and these guys are doing just that in a totally cool way! We caught up with this group of lads, Yak of All Trades, who are racing around the globe all in aid of Puttinu Cares, a local cause.

Who are the Yak of All Trades?

The Yak of All Trades are a group of six local lads – Albert, Matthew, David, Simon, Gabriel and Luke -  all having different professions: a chef, a journalist, an economist, and a paramedic, for example. The boys have known each other for years, having attended the same scout group together - the St Aloysius College Scout Group.

So why the ‘Yak of All Trades’? “The yak is basically one of the most important animals in Mongolia. Since we all come from a variety of professions, but at the same time wanted something original as a name, we decided to make a play on the phrase ‘jack of all trades’ – which is a very apt description of us – using the word ‘yak’ since it’s synonymous with Mongolia itself,” the boys say. They’ve all got different skill sets, but complement each other.

The Mongol Rally 2020

The Mongol Rally is a charity rally that takes place every year. “It starts in Prague in the Czech Republic and traverses over some 15,000km to reach the finish line in Ula Ude, Russia, which is a couple hundred kilometres outside of Mongolia.”

The boys tell us that it’s pretty casual overall, but the race does have three basic rules for everyone to follow:

1. The car that the teams use has to be any old average car

2. There is no set route or on-route support

3. Each team has to raise at least £1,000 for two charities: Cool Earth and a charity of the team’s choice, and these lads chose Puttinu Cares.

“The rally itself started being organised in 2004 and has developed ever since, to the point that over 300 teams take part in each year, raising a total of over €1 million every year, and that is one of the most lasting impacts that the rally has.”

The idea to participate and the plan while in route

Albert first came across the during “one of those boring days at Sixth Form some three years ago, and instantly knew that this was a cause and a journey worth taking.” After many discussions over beer and take-away food, they formed the team and decided to take on the challenge.

The boys tell us that the Rally involves travelling quite the distance, so they’ll basically be doing a lot of driving for the duration of the race, since it covers over a third of the surface of the globe. “However, the rally itself is not a race and so we want to take the opportunity while we are in what is still a rather remote part of the world to see its fascinating landmarks, interact with local people, and experience diverse cultures.”

Kickstarting their journey

The 2020 Rally kicks off on 18^th July from Prague. “We will be heading up a couple of days before to get to the start line and get to meet the other teams. Our plan is to spend around six weeks to complete the Rally, a tie which factors in any mechanical breakdowns we might have, obstinate border guards and any possible navigational mistakes.”

The boys will have their route mostly set before they jet off considering some logistical issues. “As much as we would love to play it by ear and determine our route as we go along, a number of the countries we will be passing through (Turkmenistan being a notable example) have strict visa regimes with pre-agreed dates of entry and exit – not adhering to those dates might see us barred from entry into the country – which is obviously far from ideal.” They’ll have relatively flexible schedules allowing them time to travel, stock up on supplies see some major sights, and have a decent shower along the way!

How does Puttinu tie in to all this?

There is just under a year left between now and the Rally’s start date. “During this year, we will be organising a number of fundraising activities in order to collect funds for Puttinu. We will also soon be setting up a fundraising page for people to donate directly through, while we’re thinking of setting up some challenges or tasks which, if we garner enough donations, we will carry out while we are on the rally.”

The donations will go towards helping Puttinu Cares find a building near the centre of London where they can host 30 to 40 families. “Between 60 and 90 patients go for treatment to the UK every month, and Puttinu has this dream that there will come a day when no patient and his family undergoing treatment abroad will have to pay for accommodation. With the money we raise, we want to help that dream come through,” they say.