One of the things we’re asked a lot is how public service vehicles donated inprevious rallies ended up  helping people in Mongolia, and how we can expect our noble steed to help once we get it out there.

In 2008, the first year emergency vehices took part in the Mongol Rally, 3 ambulances completed the journey to Ulaanbataar.  A fully and modern specced vehicle driven by spanish team West To East was donated to Mongolia’s only casualty hospital.  The hospital’s Deputy Director had this to say about the vehicle,

“This is not just an excellent emergency Ambulance but I want to stress that it is also equipped with all the equipment we need to respond to emergency situations, so I extend my thanks to the Mongol Rally and the team from Spain that made such a kind donation.”

Tom Morgan, founder of the Mongol Rally and organisers The Adventurists, who was at the handover ceremony in Ulaanbaatar, said:

“Now the Mongol Rally has come to a close we have started to distribute some of the vehicles. It was a real pleasure to be able to donate the Ambulances to where they are much needed.   Mongol Rally teams have been able to provide Mongolia’s first casualty prepared ambulance to the casualty hospital and the first ambulance at all to the maternity hospital. It’s fantastic news and the teams should be very proud of their achievement and the excellent work these vehicles will be able to carry out.”

The second vehicle donated that year, driven by team Gobi Ambulance UK, was donated to the Maternity Hospital in the Bayanzurkh district of Ulaanbaatar, which at the time had no patient transport services of any kind.  Mat Booth, one of the team who completed the journey that year said,

“After driving 8,700 miles to Mongolia we’d become attached to our ambulance and leaving it in the Mongol Rally compound we all wondered where it would end up. When we received news from Mongolia about the donation and that it would go to great use transporting mums-to-be in Ulaanbaatar we were delighted. It is the perfect end to team Gobi Ambulance’s story”

The third vehicle donated in 2008, which was piloted by team Arr Taste was donated to the Bayanzurkh District Disabled Peoples Association. Once again this was the first ambulance the association had received and they continue to use it to provide assistance to all the home-bound disabled in the district, providing transport, essential services and vital medical assistance in their homes.

In 2009, 9 emergency vehicles, including the legendary furry red fire engine of team Great Balls of Fur, and our mates from The Douglas Car made it to Mongolia.  Due to the increase in numbers from the previous year, many emergency (and indeed non-emergency) vehicle  donations were handled by the charity Adventures for Development which oversees and distributes the financial and vehicular donations from the Mongol Rally, as well as other adventures run by The Adventurists.  Some teams decided to handle their own vehicle donations.  Team Driving Dotty, who drove their Mercedes Sprinter Ambulance through 18 countries before reaching Ulaanbataar, organised their donation directly with the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation who work with underprivileged children in Mongolia and are one of the Mongol Rally’s main financial beneficiaries.  Hannah from Driving Dotty said this:

“We approached the Christina Noble Childrens Foundation who we had supported in our fundraising. They initially suggested one of the hospitals in Ulaanbataar would benefit from the vehicle but in the end took the vehicle for themselves to either use as a mobile clinic or as transport for children.”

In 2010, a record 51 separate emergency and patient transport vehicles started the rally from Goodwood.  With the dust still settling (and, in fact, teams still finishing the rally!) the information on what has become of this years ambulances, fire engines, patient transports and police vans has not yet come through.  The Adventurists are hopeful that this will be soon, as Rob in an email to Mongolia 5 explained:

“(Arrangements)…can change from year to year depending on any agreements made with the Mongolian Government.  In previous years emergency vehicles mostly ended up in Dzavkhan province (one of the poorest Mongolian provinces) working in and around Ulaistai.  In 2010 the emergency vehicles are being requested by charities, NGOs and hospitals all over Mongolia. The hand over will happen later this month, so please watch out for the report on 2010 vehicles coming out very soon.”

I’ll be sure to post on this page as soon as this happens.

It’s clear that vehicles that would otherwise be considered to have reached the end of their working lives in the UK are, down to the skill and ingenuity of mongolian mechanics and the hard work of charitable organisations, enjoying long and happy retirements benefitting the people of Mongolia in areas of real need.

We’re very happy, and very proud, to be supporting people directly on this practical level as well as financially.  It’s nice to think that once we’re back in the UK, our 4 wheeled friend will still be doing good 10,000 miles away.  Providing we make it, of course

The 2010 launch saw 51 public service vehicles set off from Goodwood racecourse

Feel free to download the above information in a .pdf file