Pizza boys to tackle over 7,000 miles of desert on delivery scooters

Three pizza delivery boys from Sheffield, Yorkshire are going to ride 12,000km (7,456 miles) across punishing desert to Bamako, Mali to raise money for Practical Action.

Liam Lee (25), Scott Hannah (32), and Henry Nottage (29) will ride three Honda Innova 125 step-through mopeds – complete with pizza boxes – from Sheffield, to Budapest and then on to Bamako as part of the Budapest to Bamako Rally at the beginning of next year.

Team Half Baked Pizza, as they have called themselves, will also be taking a 20-year-old Vauxhall Frontera support vehicle, which cost £325. Once they arrive at Bamako, they will donate it to a local hospital.

Henry said of the trip: “On the face of it we don’t have a chance.”

“The bikes are superb for short trips around town, but we have no idea what’s going to happen in the desert. One thing we can guarantee though is that they’ll break down, but by changing the suspension and reinforcing the frames we’re hoping all the problems can be fixed with some gaffa tape and a hammer or large rock.” 

The rally takes the competitors through the Atlas Mountains, salt flats and sand dunes. And if that wasn’t enough, during parts of the race there will be military escorts to help defend them against Al-Qaeda terrorists.

Once most competitors get to the finish, they pack everything up and fly home, but with little budget, the team will turn around and head back to Sheffield, without the support vehicle.

Practical Action is a charity that works with poor communities to help them choose and use technology to improve their lives and the lives of future generations.

To find out more, or donate, visit www.bamakoorbust.org.uk