Monte Carlo or Bust: Broadcast Industry Execs Take a Leaf from Top Gear Challenge Book with 000 mile European Grand Tour in Ancient Volvo

Monte Carlo or Bust: Broadcast Industry Execs Take a Leaf from Top Gear Challenge Book With 3000 mile European Grand Tour in Ancient Volvo 14 May 2014

In a stunt that would put British hit motoring programme Top Gear to shame, a group of media industry colleagues have joined forces to enter Europe's biggest banger rally to raise money for pregnancy and baby charity Tommy's. Team YOVO -You Only Volvo Once! started the 3000 mile Scumrun on Thursday 8 May in a banger they have modified themselves, in a bid to raise £2000 for the charity.

The Scumrun saw 100 teams drive across Europe for four days, navigating to secret locations only revealed to them on the day. The rules of the challenge include picking up a banger for no more than £500, and adapting it to get it road-ready for the 3000 mile journey.

YOVO is made up of three friends who met on the Tonmeister course at the Institute of Sound Recording at the University of Surrey in Guildford. Mike Common now works in the automotive industry providing useful connections to get the team's car, a 1989 6-door Volvo named Ulrikar ready for the rally.

Ben Davenport of Dalet and another team member have spent most of their time in the broadcast and media industry since graduating and have used contacts to get generous sponsorship from Dalet, AmberFin and London-based New Media Research (NMR) as well as Design Original and Mustard Solutions who support many vendors at industry tradeshows such as IBC and NAB. Other team sponsors include Wire Broadcast, Modrus, Trams Inc and Object Matrix. The team has also had great support from local business in the Basingstoke area.

Tommy's funds medical research into premature birth, stillbirth and miscarriage, as well as providing support and advice for parents-to-be to help them have a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. Every year, 1 in 4 parents in the UK will lose a baby during pregnancy or birth, and 60,000 babies are born prematurely. The charity is hoping that Scumrun teams will together raise £100,000 towards helping save babies' lives.

Tommy's is a fantastic charity and I'm really excited to be fundraising for them this year, Ben Davenport said. The Scumrun is a real challenge and we've spent a lot of time getting our car ready for the trip. I'd confess that once it was road worthy, we spent most of our effort make sure that the interior will be comfortable, but we're confident that it should last 3001 miles so fingers crossed we'll make it home.

The scumrun is a once-in-a-lifetime challenge and we hope that the team have a journey they'll never forget, Chief Executive of Tommy's Jane Brewin said. We're delighted that they are choosing to fundraise for Tommy's, helping us to support families all over the county and save babies' lives.

Team YOVO roared back into Basingstoke on Monday evening in Ulrikar having completed the entire 3000 mile trip without a hitch. More importantly, they have raised over £1,500 towards their target. However, the intrepid trio is still seeking additional sponsorship to meet their challenge. To donate to Team YOVO visit www.teamyovo.org

LINK:	http://www.theiabm.org/article.php?group_id=11846...
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