Interview Time - Lewis Woodcock
Rob Savage meets Lewis Woodcock
This month I had the pleasure of interviewing a certain individual who goes by the name of Lewis Woodcock. He's one of the individuals behind a brand new, charitable venture entitled A Very British Adventure. Said adventure will involve driving a classic mini, with a red telephone box on the roof, all the way from London to Mongolia, across 18 countries, in just four weeks, with no support crew. Here's the why, how and wow of it.
So tell us about the penny dropping moment when you decided to load a telephone box onto a mini and drive from London to Mongolia?
My friend Ben and I were at a reunion for people who completed the Mongol Rally in 2007. We were having a few beers (bad start) and the conversation moved to how we could beat our performance this year. The stakes were raised with each suggestion until spotting a phone box across the street, I announced that we had to take one! Ben's reply to this was that the only car worthy of transporting such a box was a Mini! This idea was of course said in jest and was met with much hilarity from everyone, but unfortunately the words had been uttered and it was too late. Words of advice: You shouldn't mix adventure planning with beer. If you insist on doing so, make sure there are no witnesses. Otherwise the chances are there'll be no backing out and you'll end up in the surreal and silly situation that I'm in now!
Who are the other people behind the scenes, helping to make this possible?
We're being helped by so many friends and family - sadly too many to mention all by name here. However a special mention should go to my brother Graham who also volunteers for SWORDE-Teppa and is providing constant help and support in the lead up to the trip. And of course to Andrew Peters at The Phoney Box Company for donating the phone box!
How can the St Christopher's backpackers help out in this very worth while endeavour?
Just by showing their support in any way they can! Getting the word out to as many people as possible will help with fund-raising and of course, any donation would be greatly appreciated. Or if you'd like to become an official sponsor for the trip, there's still lots of space. It's an advertising opportunity that's second to none!
If you were stuck on a 14 hour flight and could choose two celebrity companions, who would you pick and why?
Sir Ranulph Fiennes. He's lived such an amazing life and accomplished so many things. Things that I'd love to do one day. He must have so many incredible stories to tell, to pass the time. And Jessica Alba. It just seems rude not to invite her!
What was the singular, biggest challenge in putting this trip together?
When the plan was first hatched we didn't really consider all of the practicalities, so I fear there are many challenges yet to be faced. Not to mention the actual trip itself! Sourcing a phone box is not easy so we were incredibly lucky to find one so easily. And I'm pleased to say it fits on the Mini! (Although maybe you should judge that for yourself.) Another challenge we've had is getting potential sponsors to take us seriously - they thought it was a nice idea that would never amount to anything. People seem genuinely shocked that we now have the phone box on the mini and the trip is actually going ahead!
In ten words or less describe the charity, SWORDE-Teppa – who you're doing this for?
They help communities in Tajikistan, help themselves to better lives.
Now feel free to add any other amount of words that tell us about the charity and its goals.
SWORDE-Teppa is a small charity that works with local people and communities in the former Soviet Republic of Tajikistan (the poorest country in Central Asia) to make a long term, sustainable difference to their own lives. They run development programmes that focus on reducing poverty, they provide health and hygiene education and teach English. They also provide vocational and sports training, environmental action and conservation and much more - all on an incredibly small budget. Indeed, although they are a registered UK charity, they have no UK headquarters and they ensure that all funds raised go directly to Tajikistan. Here they are put to very good use on these projects. They make a real difference to children and families in this struggling and often overlooked country.
Bill Bryson or Paul Theroux?
Tony Hawks.
You quote Winston Churchill on your website. What are your other favourite, famous phrases?
As you can tell from the website I have quite a few! But as for ones that aren't on there, I try to always remember: "Improvise, adapt and overcome." It's what I say we'll always do when we're talking about the adventure and people ask me: “What happens if?” When it comes to what we're about to put the mini through, in terms of the route we're taking, Rocky Balboa's immortal words spring to mind: "It's not how hard you can hit, it's how hard you can be hit and keep moving forward!"
What top five books will be accompanying you on your journey?
Considering what we'll be going through, all the discomfort of endless driving, the lack of sleep, the sweltering heat, the freezing cold (that's before we've left Europe) I felt I had to scour the literary world to find books that could transport me to an oasis of calm, during the challenging times ahead. This is my list.
- 1. Where's Wally? 3 - The Fantastic Journey
- 2. Colloquial Swahili - The Complete Course for Beginners
- 3. The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook - Extreme Edition
- 4. The Marshall Cavendish Complete Book Of Needlecraft
- 5. War and Peace by Tolstoy (Useful for jacking up the mini if nothing else!)
When you accomplish this accomplishment, what are you setting your sights on next?
I'd like to say accomplish a quiet and easy life but that would be a lie. So the plan for 2010 is to drive a small car (possibly a Fiat Panda 4x4), running only on chip fat and vegetable oil, to the magnetic North Pole! People have said the Mini and the phone box can't be done, so once we've proved those non-believers wrong, we'll start on the ones for this idea!
- Rob Savage
To make a donation to this worth while cause, take a trip to www.averybritishadventure.co.uk
