Tuk to the Road
On May 20th Antonia Bolingbroke- Kent and I will attempt a Guinness World Record- to drive overland from Bangkok to Brighton in a bright pink Thai tuk tuk and hence complete the longest ever journey by auto rickshaw. For those of you who have never been to Asia, a tuk tuk is one of the ubiquitous three-wheeled taxis that you see thronging the streets in many Asian cities. We will drive over 12,000 miles and pass through twelve countries, including Laos, China and Kazakhstan. The ultimate aim of our adventure is to increase awareness about mental health and to raise £50,000 for the mental health charity Mind.
The idea for this trip first came about a few years ago when I was travelling in Thailand with some friends. Tuk tuks are the main form of transport in Bangkok and as we were bombing around the tourist sites I decided that one day I would drive one back to the UK. Having graduated from university last year with a one year break ahead of me before starting a second degree in medicine this September, I saw that this was my chance to turn my dream into reality. If I didn't do the trip now I would never do it, so I convinced Antonia to give up her job and come with me on the ultimate threewheeled adventure.
Why Mind? Well firstly, the statistics relating to mental illness in this country are shocking; one in four of us will suffer mental health problems during our lives, 40% of all GP consultations are mental health related and over 140,000 people try to commit suicide in Britain every year. Yet somehow it is an issue that is still pushed under the carpet with people afraid to speak out about it or even to support it. Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales. Its work is carried out in a number of different ways, from advising the government on related issues to setting up over 200 local Mind centres throughout the country and providing a crisis helpline. Whilst the centres provide counselling, advocacy, befriending and training schemes, the Mindinfoline offers thousands of callers confidential support on anything and everything to do with mental health. Since sufferers are often both afraid to speak out and have no idea where to turn, this service can be a vital stepping stone to recovery.
I also have a personal reason for supporting Mind. I suffered from depression during my adolescence and spent over two years in psychiatric hospitals, and was personally helped by Mind when I was unwell. Antonia also feels strongly about supporting Mind, after a close friend of hers committed suicide last year.
The last three months have been incredibly intense and a very step learning curve. We have been on medical training courses, survival weekends, passed our motorcycle tests, learnt Russian and organised the complicated logistics that such a trip requires. Our biggest challenges are yet to come - the trip itself and reaching our fundraising target.
To find out more about our trip and to make a donation to Mind please visit our website. If you do not have access to the internet and wish to make a donation, then please make cheques payable to 'Mind' and send them to 5,Station Road, Thames Ditton, Surrey, KT7 0NU.
Many thanks.
Joanna Huxster, Thames Ditton resident for 27 years