An Angus graduate is gearing up for a 10,000-mile charity challenge of a lifetime across two continents.
After six years of study which culminated in a Master of Architecture degree from Aberdeen’s Scott Sutherland School of Architecture, Calum Hill, of Brechin, has decided to launch himself into a major fund-raising drive to deliver literally emergency service support to Mongolia.
Together with fellow graduate Mark Hadfield (24), from Stonehaven, Calum (24) has set up Archi-Ambulance, a charitable fund which has been raising money to support the charity GoHelp with its essential work in Asia.
Their aim is to supply a working ambulance for use in Mongolia’s first emergency services fleet. As part of their fund-raising mission, Calum and his team are raising money to buy a fully-functioning ambulance, which they will drive approximately 10,000 miles from London to Ulaanbaatar, the ancient capital city of Mongolia, in GoHelp’s charity rally.
Following what the pair hope will be a smooth and successful journey through more than 20 countries, the ambulance will be donated to a provincial emergency service group. En route, the challenge team will experience diverse cultures and testing environments from the hustle and bustle of European cities to the deserted plains and treacherous silt roads of Central Asia.
As well as providing a functioning ambulance, Archi-Ambulance is committed to raising a minimum of £1000 for GoHelp.
“We hope to raise as much money as possible through the generosity of individuals, philanthropists, companies and professional organisations to provide as high-quality a vehicle as possible,” Calum said.
“The emergency services are something that we all rely on and, perhaps, take for granted in the UK,” he added. “These vital services save lives every single day. In some parts of the world, however, like Mongolia, these services simply do not exist.
“Due to the traditional, nomadic lifestyle, the majority of the Mongolian population live days’ travel from medical services. A new ambulance service will not only provide a means to respond to emergencies, but will also work as a mobile hospital, outreaching into remote areas, which will make a real difference.”
The team’s fund-raising efforts will continue next week at a music and comedy event in Aberdeen’s Club Snafu on Wednesday night.Find out more at archi-ambulance.com